Rebirth
by Gotham Batman
Summary: The events of Underworld just ended. Doppelganger has finished Natla, and now Lara is now trying to put Croft Manor back together as well as her life. The thing is, some pieces still do not seem to fit and Lara will stop at nothing to get the answers.
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer:** I do not own anything in regards to the Tomb Raider franchise. This story is for the utter amusement and entertainment of the fans who appreciate Lara as being one of the best games in the world! The only thing that gets owned around here is 1,072 hours of my life as I try to get the 1000 point acheivements as I play my tomb raider games LOL.

**Author Notes:** I like getting into the part of the characters that you do not see. What happens 'in between' Lara's excurions? How does she interact with the people in her life when it is not over her headset? Read on and (hopefully enjoy my imagination). Love it or hate it, I'm still Batman!

**Chapter One:** Rebirth

It was raining heavily in Greece that day. The wind slammed the rain abusively against the outer walls on the surface of Saint Francis' Folly. It was here that a figure of a Lara Croft, barely visible against the evening storm, was entering the strongly secured building ignoring the strong elements. Her soft blue long sleeve button-up shirt darkened with the drench of rain, as well as her fitted grey slacks were tightened to her flesh. Her boots squished with every step. It seemed that the backpack was the only thing that laughed at the element.

"Why would you go to this place in this kind of weather is beyond me!" Zip spoke more to himself than to the microphone that wrapped around the right side of his head. He could hear the lightening that cracked in the background as he heard what he could make out as the usual, breaking and entering. "Lara, you could at least say something quirky like um, I dunno. Marvelous weather we are having today!" waving his right hand in a looping carefree fashion as he sipped an energy drink with his left.

Lara sighed softly, and was thankful that the video feed was what she saw, and not on her, otherwise Zip would find her shaking her head dismissively with a roll of her eyes. That motion would lead her to endure a whole new sloth of questions of _'what did __**THAT**__ mean'_ or _'what was __**THAT**__ for?' _It was now that she gave a self confident "hm!" as she managed to break a window without much sound and open it. The double stained glass window creaked open without much effort as she slid in and closed it behind her just as she was fully in. "Marvelous weather we are having today!" she said straining her lengthy loose pony tail of the rain that soaked it and wiped her face with the back of her right hand to better clear her vision. A most beguiling smile played on her lips in the entirety of these movements.

Zip took in a deep breath and released it as patiently as he could. He knew she was mocking him, her infamous timing of retort either left him speechless or belittled. Either way, she won. "Ha---ha. VERY funny Lara. You should really be a comedian!"

"Why_ 'thank'_ you Zip!" she responded cheerfully. "Now…." She steadied her mind. It had been years since she was here, the memories of the challenges she had passed flooded her mind. Her muscles pulsed with each memory as she recalled the instances perfectly. It was as if she was doing it all over again. A soft inhale and then she clicked on her personal light which illuminated 4 feet ahead of her and brought things into clarity. "Last I recall, there were a few lioness here upon my initial visit, I really do hope I put them down for good. Otherwise, having the long memories that they do, I will find them in a most intense temperament."

Upon hearing her aloud thoughts Zip sputtered his newly drunken energy from his lips in a most unbecoming spray that halfway drenched his shirt. "What a minute!! What do you mean, 'Last I recall?!' This isn't the first time you've been here?!", wiping his mouth with the back of his left forearm.

Lara's sharp ears had already deduced what her savvy tech had done. "That was disgusting Zip. I do hope you did not lose any of your drink on that new equipment you pleaded I buy. I might just have to deduct that from your next pay." She smirked playfully as this fact escaped her lips.

Zip was already wiping the monitor and keyboard as well as his shirt and pants in a most frantic fashion. A very irritated Winston walked by shaking his head at the fiasco he witnessed. Zip glared and rolled his eyes at Lara's ever loyal watch dog. "It's fine. No harm no foul. Now, anyways, what is this about you being here before?! You never mentioned to me that you came her once before."

Lara was silent for a moment before answering, "There was really no need Zip. This all happened before you became a part of my excursions. You do realize that a lady must keep some things to herself." She spoke with a hint of finalization in her voice. This would also hint that no questions are to be asked because this was a done topic already.

Zip groaned and ran his hands through his dreaded lochs rapidly in a hurried scratching motion. MORE secrets! And MORE _personal matters_. She was always like this! It was so infuriating at times he wanted to throw blank CDR's like kunai daggers at the nearest thing that moved! Which of course would be Winston now, and seeing a heaping pile of old man in moaning agony would be funny for a moment, before either A) He would get up and pull out some damned crazy weapon from a previous war and use it on Zip, or B) _**Lara**_. That reason all by itself did not need an example attached. He shivered at the thought of her eyes beaming upon him because he nicked her watch dog 'on accident'. "Okay, FINE. Well can I at least ask what we are looking for?" he half expected an answer to even that as well.

Lara was walking with her right arm resting under her breasts, right hand cupping her elbow in support of her left arm. The left hand resting across her lips stroking them softly as she thought. "Visualizing.", her eyes were tracking the old pillars in the main courtyard. They had weathered even more since her previous approach. She was now approaching the entry gates that were strangely enough left undisturbed by her last visit. This was where Pierre first announced his presence to her and the gauntlet was thrown down after words of will were spoken about Natla's loyalty. Lara slid her athletic frame through the half open doors and started her decent down the spiral staircase that would lead coliseum.

Zip's eyebrows furrowed, "The hell you visualizing in the middle of a rain storm, in a deserted temple, in the middle of Greece, that is named after a Saint that had some kind of damn 'oops'?"

"Folly" she corrected absently as she peered out the gladiator door that lead into the mighty arena. Lara listened for grunts of gorillas, or the soft growl of the lioness that was once here. She was making her way through the open arena hurriedly and used her grapple to swing herself from the old bronzed loops that still there and holding steady. She navigated herself into the master booth and took the ladder to the lower area of the Folly where she was now standing where the 4 tests entrances was.

As she was 'doing her thing' as Zip would so casually put it to those who asked her whereabouts. He was still going on. "_**WHAT**__-ever_! It was still a mistake! Same thing! Look, Lara….are you just walking down memory lane? Is this some part of the closure thing?" he said safely enough, considering what she found out about her mother ending up a Thrall. "What the hell….?" He leaned into his monitor "Are…are you in? a coliseum? What in the world is THAT doing there?!" he found himself shaking his head. If it was hidden in the world, SHE would find it.

"Well, as you are quite aware Zip." She started climbing down the maze like structure in the middle, working her way downwards to the floor where she once placed 4 keys. "We are in desperate need of a new home while Croft Manor is being rebuilt brick for brick and stone for stone." She was just now reaching the bottom, doing it once before made doing it now a cinch. Especially now because her body was much more in shape now than it was then, and she had a lot more experiences with climbing and was now very quick at it actually. "So staying in a broken home during construction is not an option for me. After all, Nishimura-San is being quite nice by lending you a penthouse in Japan during this time." She then went off into her own thoughts again with a 'tsk' her and there followed by a "hmmmm" as she walked back and fourth looking up and to the sides.

Zip was just about to reply. Just then, he nearly jumped out of his skin when he saw something behind him that was not there before "What the fu--?!" He held his chest almost as if to keep his heart within his ribs. There stood a lone mop bucket with a handle sticking out of if. Behind this was Winston with his hands clasped in front on him in a most proper fashion who cleared his throat respectfully as he pointed to the floor with his right index finger without saying a word. Zip looked down and saw drying energy drink on the floor, and his eyes slowly followed up from the floor back up to Winton's mocking smile. "Damn it man!" he took the mop and got the energy drink off the floor from his earlier mishap. Winston nodded and when Zip was finished mopping up his mess, Winston quietly left with the used bucket and mop. Whether or not he knew that Zip was burning holes in the back of his skull was something he seemed not to care for. Zip turned his attention back to the half darkened video when Lara suddenly said…

"This will work splendidly!" She said with quite a bit of mirth in her voice, "Zip. I **found** it!" she rested her hands on both sides of her hips, and tossed the lick of hair from her left eye with a sharp motion of her neck. "Pool in Poseidon…" she nodded to herself. "Free electricity in Hephaestus…should not be too hard to harness the energy with the proper equipment. "Storage in Atlas… and of course Damocles can be a great test to keep the reflexes sharp. The swords are stuck in the floor, but beggars _cannot_ be choosers." She smiled broadly and looked over her shoulder into the darkness where she saw two glowing yellow pupils that seemed to float there apparently leaning against the exit by the red key that was still in the wall. "What do you think?" Lara quirked her eyebrow curiously as she asked.

"Found what?" he tried not to grumble into the mic. He was now drinking the last bit of the energy drink before tossing it into a nearby trash can. "What do I think of what?" he hated her breaking sentences as she thought aloud and left him trying to make sense of things.

"Not what you think Zip. I was asking my dark twin here what she thought of our new temporary base of operations, and perhaps her new home after Croft Manor is completed."

A dark dual voiced echo of Lara spoke softly from the background of Lara's mic. The voice was not too far away. "Looks….ravishing." she nodded once as she gazed about the grand squared area, and took in the complicated structure and steps. The entrances to the testing areas that Lara called out, and of course plenty of room to run and kick off walls. "The arena in the coliseum would be ideal for a track." The dark twin smirked deviously. The entire time Lara was speaking about her last visit here, she was speaking to her Doppelganger who shadowed her in silence.

"Oh HELL no!!! You do NOT have 'Rosemary's baby' in there with you!?!? PLEASE tell me that you are not planning to work with her!!!!" he slammed his fists into his desk. Zip's hands in fists, veins popping from his fore-arms in anxiousness. "Lara…we _**have**_ to talk."

**End of Chapter 1**


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer:** I do not own anything in regards to the Tomb Raider franchise. This story is for the utter amusement and entertainment of the fans who appreciate Lara as being one of the best games in the world! The only thing that gets owned around here is 1,072 hours of my life as I try to get the 1000 point acheivements as I play my tomb raider games LOL. Viva XBOX 360!!!

**Author Notes:** I like getting into the part of the characters that you do not see. What happens 'in between' Lara's excurions? How does she interact with the people in her life when it is not over her headset? Read on and (hopefully enjoy my imagination). Love it or hate it, I'm still Batman!

**Chapter Two:** Opening the eyes

"Oh HELL no!!! You do NOT have 'Rosemary's baby' in there with you!?!? PLEASE tell me that you are not planning to work with her!!!!" he slammed his fists into his desk. Zip's hands in fists, veins popping from his fore-arms in anxiousness. "Lara…we _**have**_ to talk."

"Zip….." Lara held the bridge of her nose and turned her back to her dark clone. "This is not the time, nor is it the place." She already knew what he wanted to talk about. Alister was still a large open wound in Zip's heart, his co-worker and friend was brutally murdered right in her own home. Zip was never quite the same after that, and for awhile neither was Lara.

"You are just not understanding me Lara! Am I the only one here who gets it?!" pushing his earpiece closer to his ear as his voice escalated "**SHE KILLED ALISTER**! She **BLEW UP** your home! Your house **STILL** has ashes falling from the sky! Just bits and pieces of HOUSE floating in the air! I close my eyes and I STILL can see it burning right in front of me!" he was so shaken with anger his muscles were flexing.

"I do not need you to remind me of my losses Zip." Lara added with an icy edge in her voice "You seem to be the individual misunderstanding the situation. It was also _**my**_ colleague and friend that got murdered, by Amanda and Natla's order, **not** of my shadow's own free will. It was MY home that was lost, not yours. I state again, it was not of the Doppelganger's own free will at the time. I cannot believe that you witnessed this with your own eyes, and heard with your own two ears, that the very creation that did do these damages against us was under control! You heard me speak the ancient words that commanded her and that crusader thrall, you saw that she was of her own free will when she went to avenge our losses, and put Natla down at my request. She did it then because I 'asked' her to Zip! What part of this are you not getting?" she ended this with a strong period daring him to stand against the logic in this fact. The truths were all lined up, everything was obvious. She heard him still breathing quite heavy. She took a deep breath and looked upwards closing her eyes. "Zip, I was there, obsession, anger….revenge. I just went through all of these things. You saw me, I was lost….it's not a path I want to see you go down as well. It took the Doppelganger's words to make me see, O_bsession and compulsion are much the same. Either way, we are neither of us our own masters_. You have to keep a clean mind on this. It is over….justice has been served."

The entire time Doppelganger was listening and watching with great intensity. Her pale veined arms were relaxed as she listened in on this banter between the two of them. She only thought that Croft wanted her to exact her revenge and then be done with her. She thought back to that very moment where Lara, and herself exchanged powerful words that lead to a more powerful understanding about each other for the very first time. This also led to Doppelganger performing a very honorable deed.

Natla, drowning in her despair, was calling out helplessly for thralls to come to her aide. Throwing out commands as panic and realization came into her mind, but it was all for nothing. Her death was inevitable. How she enjoyed watching the very life seep from Natla's wretched eyes, she could not help but smile that same inglorious quirk of the lips once again as she thought on this. Her eyes were wide with anticipation and excitement, the creator that had made her, and also that commanded her to kill the very mold that she was made into the image of, had asked for her to end her own life as well after her mission was complete. One word came to mind as her lips now started to purse into a frown of hated of her old master, '_bitch'_. Then something strange happened after that, something she did not expect…

_**~~Flashback~~**_

Doppelganger was exiting the great chamber of her birthplace that had also become now Natla's final resting place. She was amused at the irony of all of this. It was as soon as she left and came back onto the surface that she heard an electronic beep twice. She snapped around with her guns pointed looking for the source, thinking it was a person or an explosive device nearby she crouched down at the ready. Then it happened again! Now that she was listening for it she looked down and saw a blinking red light on a small cloth carry case that was no larger than one of a cell phone attached to her left holster magnetically. Bewildered she holstered her guns and pulled it off examining it curiously as she opened it. Inside was a headset! The light she saw blinking was from the earpiece that was visible through the casing. She thought back to that very moment where Lara and herself exchanged powerful words and came to an understanding about each other for the first time. It seems that as Lara leaned over to ask her 'what the hell are you' she must have attached the headset to her at that very moment! Doppelganger was actually impressed with the Croft woman's style and approach. She kept her eyes locked with Lara's during the entire conversation, so of course she would not see her sneak the device on to her, and better yet Natla did not notice either. Doppelganger smirked and rose a skeptical brow at this as she donned the headset and hit the answer button, and as soon as she did she was not surprised by who was at the other end.

"I'm glad that you are able to now receive my hails." Lara spoke confident enthusiasm. "I trust your trip was eventful?" pausing to see if the Doppelganger would reply.

Doppelganger flipped her sanguine braid over her shoulder and nodded "She could not stand her 'new look' and went through drastic measures to improve her skin. It did not turn out well." She added with a hint of what seemed to be sarcasm. "I am at a disadvantage as to why you would further seek to contact me however." She rested her left hand on her hip and allowed her right to hang at her side motionless as she awaited response. A part of her could not believe that she was talking to her initial target, the very person she was created to kill, so causally now for a second time.

"Well. I hope that she does not arise again to make either of us look over our shoulders for any reason in either of our futures. People like Natla have a tendency to leave unfinished business behind which 'someone' will always pick up and continue. I have many enemies, and even less means to deal with them in whole. However…" here she seemed to ponder on something "There is a hint of concern that I have. It has always been at the back of my mind, but for reasons of my own I want to check into it for my own peace of thought. I was wondering if you would be so cordial to accompany me. You have nowhere to go, no clue how to make a way for yourself in this world. I owe you this, you did avenge my late friend, and my father all in one day after all. I do not blame you, after all, a puppet is never in control of itself, so therefore one must place blame upon the master controlling it. Correct?"

The Doppelganger said nothing. She was listening to the pitch control in Lara's voice, feeling for hint of underlying motives or meanings. She had to admit she was floored by this entire scenario in whole. Yes, what Lara had said about her was indeed truth. After she finished Natla she had no idea what she was going to do. The feeling of freedom was as inviting as it was disheartening. She was created to serve others, not serve herself. Although she had faith in that she would figure it out sooner or later, but right now it was too overwhelming. It was now that she fully realized again, what it was she felt before at that time, when she spoke with Lara in that chamber under Croft Manor. She and Lara were unconditionally equal in _almost_ everyway. She did not have flaws like Lara, and she had much less restrictions on her body. She even had a different substance in her veins that would allow her to heal and not tire as easily as her counterpart. Lara must have felt the same way, when she found out what happened to her mother, she must not have thought about what she was going to do next. Lara may be as lost as she is right now, and in a whole world where you can trust no one, you can at least trust yourself, or something closest to it perhaps. "Go on. You are holding my interest."

Lara almost seemed to release a sigh of relief. She was hardened over her years of experiences and the traumatic events that she endured. Even her tireless self training methods in her own home helped make her this way, or more like make her more independent. Situations that were brought before her had either made her stronger or brought about questions that demanded answers upon what she went through great lengths to seek. "Somehow." She allowed the contentment to be heard in her voice, Lara was lonely. Keeping others away was in her very nature. "I knew you would listen, even more importantly that you would understand my reason." Lara now thought to herself that Doppelganger was more than just a copy of her. Then went on to speak "I just knew it, I do not know how, I just did." Lara found herself smiling inwardly, this was something historic in her life, she felt her heart pounding in excitement, or was it in more anticipation than anything? "Long ago, when I was _first_ involved with the recently departed Natla, I was searching for the truth behind her, **and** her goals. The mysteries of the scion, and how were these events, and people tied together. Upon my journeys however, I was in the Tomb of Tihocan, and I made a very disturbing find. The casket in the tomb was empty! You realize that if there is another god of Atlantis it deserves investigation. I do not know what happened to the corpse that should have been there, but I am determined to find out. Also…" Lara frowned as she would say this, "I could almost swear that I saw the corpse of Qualopec moving as I was escaping the collapsing tomb. It was right after I grabbed another piece of the scion! You can understand my determination in trying to bring light to this. Then again, they did do the world a favor by sealing Natla away." Lara felt relieved that she was able to tell someone this, what goals did these gods of Atlantis share with Natla, if any at all?

Doppelganger tilted her head and took a deep soft breath as she pondered on this information. She did not know of any dealings about Natla's past with Lara. Natla was like Lara on this, she never told people what was on her mind or let anyone in. After all, why would she tell a slave anyways? "You have made an excellent case in the reasons of your said suspicions. They 'did' seal away Natla for reasons of their own I am sure, but where were they when she awoke again? It is highly illogical that beings that held such power would allow something to wake up that they wanted to hide from the world…either they were not here to know it…."

Lara finished her sentence "Or they were watching the entire thing from regions unknown to us."

"Exactly." Doppelganger nodded in agreement. "I will accompany you on your endeavor. I do not think we will get very far independent of each other."

"Glad to have you aboard." Lara smiled as she said this "By the way, I hope you do not mind that I took the liberty of coming out to pick you up. Turn your attention east if you do not mind." Lara was looking through her trusty binoculars during the entire conversation. Watching the body language of her double, and zoomed in to get the expressions as well. Lara saw the Doppelganger's face turn and face her in the east where Lara was on her boat watching her. Lara held steady her binoculars with her left hand and gave a very lady like wave with her right, with a bit of spirit in the way she waved her fingers in a polite hello motion.

Doppelganger laughed shortly to herself and nodded. She was already starting down the path to meet her at the water. Using her shadow ability to increase the speed of her decent down the side of the cliff where she had to climb before, and down steps that would lead to the sea and her ride.

Lara started her boat and went out to meet her dark double. Neither of them realizing the excitement that was rushing through them both for the adventures to come...

_**~~End flashback~~**_

"I will contact you again Zip when I have need of more travel plans. Right now please think on what I have told you and I hope you do find it within you to see the reasoning." Lara ended the conversation and now turned to face Doppelganger who had just now focused her attention back onto Lara when she heard her conversation ending. Lara nodded sincerely "Sorry about that, but of course you expected him to react that way." She sighed heavily and understood the simple nod that the Doppelganger gave her. Lara then closed the distance between them a bit, until the light of her flashlight illuminated where Doppelganger stood. Lara now started tapping her own chin with two fingers of her right hand, and she squinted her eyes in thoughtfulness. "We really do _have_ to give you a name. Doppelganger just _will not _do for the continuity of our working relationship."

Doppelganger smiled and narrowed her own eyes back at her "After the events we have shared with Thor and Valhalla, I would not be opposed to Valkyrie." She added with a beguiling smirk that brought Lara's eyes to pop open with genuine surprise.

"Brilliant!" Lara beamed a smile back at her in approval. "I'm elated that you are here Valkyrie." Lara nodded in respect of the name of her ally. It was indeed a most becoming one that fit her perfectly.

**End of Chapter 2**

In Norse mythology, a **valkyrie** (from Old Norse _**valkyrja**_ "chooser of the slain") is one of a host of female figures who decide who will die in battle. The valkyries bring their chosen to the afterlife hall of the slain, Valhalla, ruled over by the god Odin, where the deceased warriors become einherjar. There, when the einherjar are not preparing for the events of Ragnarök, the valkyries bear them mead. Valkyries also appear as lovers of heroes and other mortals, where they are sometimes described as the daughters of royalty, sometimes accompanied by ravens, and sometimes connected to swans.


	3. Chapter 3

**Disclaimer:** I do not own anything in regards to the Tomb Raider franchise. This story is for the utter amusement and entertainment of the fans who appreciate Lara as being one of the best games in the world! The only thing that gets owned around here is 1,072 hours of my life as I try to get the 1000 point acheivements as I play my tomb raider games LOL.

**Author Notes:** I like getting into the part of the characters that you do not see. What happens 'in between' Lara's excurions? How does she interact with the people in her life when it is not over her headset? Read on and (hopefully enjoy my imagination). Love it or hate it, I'm still Batman!

**Chapter Three:** The Naming

Two months had passed now since St. Francis Folly had new equipment added temporarily. Lara had no intention of taking away from the ancient atmosphere or changing the beautiful history of the old structure that defied time. It was enough trouble and brought a few quirks of a brow as to why she paid so much money up front to have exclusive rights for a secured amount of time while she investigated a few things. That excuse would not hold forever, but it would for the time being while her home was being fixed.

The newly renamed Doppelganger now Valkyrie, had many days well spent bringing in equipment and a few extra amenities that a lady just has to have in life. Battery powered kitchen, a stereo for those work out sessions, and of course a few other things that were splendidly attached to one marble pad in the Hephaestus that was still crackling with raw electricity even after all these years. How Zip found a way to tap it as a power source was amazing, he was now also well over blaming the murder of Alister on Valkyrie. He and the dark twin actually held more than a few conversations lately, and a few one sided arguments Zip was arguing, Valkyrie was only making causal statements. It was mostly about his cooking or how his coffee was too bland, much to Lara's amusement.) In one more month Lara's family home would be completed finally! They were all more than eager to get back into Croft Manor. Winston was now staying at the Manor over seeing the final construction and tying up the final matters for when his mistress would come home.

Zip was typing away as he hacked a news network and searched for weird happenings over the past 300 years in their historical databases. His head was bopping and his right foot was thumping as he listened to a euro club mix of one of his favorite songs, once in a while he would grunt "unh!" followed shortly by a "Yeah. It takes two to make everything alright! Ooh! Unh!"

Lara just came down via the rope pulley system they installed to make it easier to get back and fourth. A roll of her eyes was the only motion she made to him as she made her way over to her laptop to see what he gathered for her so far. It was hard to find Natla, so they expected it to be much worse to find her colleagues. Lara signed in and started checking the e-mails he had sent her already.

Valkyrie had now just come into the room herself. She was coming from the Poseidon door drenched in a two piece bikini that was ebony in color with a soft highlight of royal blue. She slid down a slip rope to the flooring below and swung her saturated braid over her shoulder as she nodded at Lara who nodded and smiled back. Then her focus was on Zip and a look of bothered be-puzzlement fell upon her pale veined face. "What bedevilment you listening to?" she spoke casually as she passed Zip and hit the station change button along her way. The music changed abruptly to a song by 'Sting' called '…Nothing Like the Sun.' Zip threw his hands up into the air in a 'what the' motion. Valkyrie nodded at her own appreciation of the music change. She then sat down not too far away from Lara in a chair and crossed her pale legs, her foot dancing up and down with the beat already.

Zip was shaking his head and waving his left hand in back and fourth motions "Oohhh NO! You did NOT just change that station! What the hell is wrong with you?! That song was awesome! And more importantly! I was LISTENING to it! You….!" He closed his eyes as if trying to maintain the colorful words that he really wanted to say "You just don't DO THAT!" pointing to Valkyrie then the radio "You don't touch a black man's radio! Didn't you ever see Rush Hour?! Chris Tucker told Jackie Chan the same damn thing! And what the hell do _**you**_ have ANY kind of business calling something else **bedeviled**! You have **some** nerve chick!"

Lara had her face averted from his as she sipped her latte that she had just now made. The efforts that allowed her to stifle her snickers and choke her giggles were short of amazing.

Valkyrie tilted her head and raised her left brow as Zip went on with his rant. She then held up five fingers of her left hand and two of her right and said nothing. Zip frowned, and Lara arched a brow as Valkyrie did this gesture. Valkyrie then said "YES, I did, and nothing is wrong with me aside from that I have taste in music. What is awesome to you is horrid to another, Lara may tune it out, but I absolutely refuse to." She now dropped down the two fingers of her right hand leaving the five of her left still extended "I did because I can." Four fingers "That radio isn't yours Zip, it's Lara's." Three fingers "No I haven't. I was lead to think you were speaking of traffic, but when you mentioned names I am left to assume you are making reference to a movie?" Two fingers "I do not know this Chris Tucker **or** this Jackie Chan." One finger "Just what exactly are you implying?" the last finger dropped but her now made fist didn't. As a matter of fact she cracked its knuckles pointedly at him.

Zip, at every point she countered in her usual direct and impersonal manner either rolled his eyes or held his hand across his face as he shook his head in disbelief. "I can't BELIEVE this!" he sat back in his chair roughly and threw his hand in the air as if he was reaching for falling money. "You have an answer for EVERY thing! I don't think that when you said you have _flaws removed_" here he did quotation fingers "That they did not fix the inability to be a smartass." He took in the hint of her cracking her knuckled fist at him and rolled his eyes "Alright! FINE! BE that way!" he then shook his head again and muttered under his breath a colorful adjective that was soon followed by "She wants to listen to '…Nothing Like the Sun.' Damn chick _NEEDS_ more sun!, and a lot less mouth. I hate Natla even more now, and I didn't think _**that**_ was possible." he continued to mumble as he went back to work. "Lara, you might want to look into the information I sent you involving the Great Wall in China." He now sipped his Mt Dew and sighed tiredly after a stretch his arms and legs.

Lara who had now finished wiping her eyes with a Kleenex and sighing away stilled laughter looked over at him and furrowed her brows. "The Great Wall in China? Are you hinting for a vacation Zip?" she teased him casually as she started pulling the info up onto her screen. She was already bewildered that yet another place she visited once before in her past came up again now in her present. "Okay, what am I looking for?" she drank the last of her latte and sat the cup down to the left of her laptop. Valkyrie stood up and leaned over Lara's shoulder reading the screen, her hands resting on her knees as she leaned forward. Zip's eyes could not help but stare for brief moment at the supple hanging pale breasts that graced Valkyrie's form. He could not help but wonder if her and Lara had the exact same bust size, and he would be damned if he would ever ask either of them, so just having eye candy was enough for him. He answered Lara before either of them looked up to see why he was not answering Lara's question.

"Well, after going through the video feed of your adventures involving Thor's hammer. I cross referenced some of the glyphs I saw in Xibalba, that sacrificial super hell that they used to torment at their own amusement. Well, as you were climbing some of those poles and doing 'you thing' I noticed that in the upper level as you flipped from one of those barbed poles to the next, that there was an image that did not fit. I had to freeze the camera and zoom in the best I could given the limited amount of light that was in there. But, there was a picture of what seemed to be two guys holding a man down forcing them to kneel, then another man walking toward them with some kind of weapon in their hand. Above his head though? Was an image of a dragon, at first I thought it was a Midgard Serpent reference, but that same dragon appeared in a Chinese mythology, thus the cross reference I mentioned earlier, it was from this thing called…"

Lara interrupted "No…." with strong disbelief resounding in his voice and immense concern running across her face. Zip sat back his eyes fixed upon Lara expression and had a sinking feeling in his gut. Lara leaned forward with a fierce intensity in her eyes that seemed to make them almost glass like. Her hands clasping together slowly gripping palm to palm as her forehead rested on the index fingers of pale knuckles as she sighed deeply "You have got to be **kidding** me….this is too much…" Valkyrie and Zip shared a look of bewilderment and concern before their eyes fell back upon Lara. "The Dagger of Xian…." She whispered as she closed her eyes slowly.

Zip was taken back by her extremely accurate guess, or was it fear of an already growing assumption he had? "Yeah…exactly…." He had a VERY bad feeling about this….

**End of Chapter 3**


	4. Chapter 4

**Disclaimer:** I do not own anything in regards to the Tomb Raider franchise. This story is for the utter amusement and entertainment of the fans who appreciate Lara as being one of the best games in the world! The only thing that gets owned around here is 1,072 hours of my life as I try to get the 1000 point acheivements as I play my tomb raider games LOL.

**Author Notes:** I like getting into the part of the characters that you do not see. What happens 'in between' Lara's excurions? How does she interact with the people in her life when it is not over her headset? Read on and (hopefully enjoy my imagination). Love it or hate it, I'm still Batman!

**Chapter Four:** The First Feeding

Zip's heart was thumping strongly in his chest, so hard he could almost hear it due to the deafening silence in the room. Valkyrie was also quiet, she honestly had no idea what was going on, as far as she was concerned this was all part of what she signed up for when she agreed to team up with Lara. She being Lara's copy knew exactly what Lara was feeling, the more she was around her, the more in tuned she was becoming with her. Just as the time she first confronted Lara in Croft Manor after blowing it up, she mimicked Lara's movements with precise attunement. In her own mind she now knew that she could do it for as long as she wanted, if she were facing Lara, she could make every step for step with her, even blink at the same time. She chose not to state this however, after all Lara did tell Valkyrie in private after a few laps in the pool about the mindless doppelganger that was incomplete in the great pyramid as she was on the way to confront Natla for what she thought would be the last time. If she told Lara now, she was sure it would re-open old wounds or a hint of concern. Valkyrie decided that keeping the secret would be the most beneficial thing to do right now. It was now, that she wanted to only focus on Lara.

Zip released a long exasperation of air upwardly as he leaned back. He had seen Lara like this once before when she was in Nepal while searching for the ghalali key. It was right after she found her mother's pendant, and fell into silence just like now. She had asked for a moment upon which he and Alister gave her that time and stopped bombarding her with questions. What in the world was it that Lara went through up until he met her?! There were so many questions, but just like the tombs she 'finds her way into' no one could get into the tomb of her mind, or so he thought.

Valkyrie was rubbing Lara's shoulders as she still stood behind her staring at the info that was still on her screen which Zips had gathered. The screen seemed to stare back at them, the picture of the dragon that was on the Dagger of Xian. She looked at Zip and motioned her head shortly to the left which was a silent request of some girl talk. Without argument he stood up and left, looking over his shoulder once in awhile as he headed to the door that would lead towards the Coliseum arena where he would wait. After she knew he was full out of earshot she looked back to Lara and walked around to her front and crouched down before her. "What is it? You have been there before?" that was obvious enough to gather, but now she wanted to confirm something. Valkyrie then said something unexpected "Right now, I see tigers, a man…his name is Bartoli…and he…" she closed her eyes softly and concentrated "He became a dragon…you killed him… the dagger is used to kill it. Then.." she opened her eyes to see Lara staring at her with obvious disbelief, and a definite loss for words. Valkyrie smiled "You sneaky girl. You still have it." She said with a knowing tilt of her head as she looked up at Lara's surprised face where she was still crouched.

Lara gasped softly and shook her head slowly, she felt like time was stopping, or was it moving too fast? "How did you?..." the question although a prudent one already had an answer, something that the infamous British woman knew the answer to before she even asked. "You are me, with the flaws removed. Even when I asked if you had your freedom, what would you do? You stared back at me then. I knew it in your eyes, even before you said it back to me. 'What would **YOU** do?' You are able to see my past experiences through what connects us, can't you?" Lara could hardly keep her mouth from staying open.

Valkyrie nodded once "I **AM** you, with the flaws removed. The more I am with you, the stronger I feel what ties us get stronger. You still have me on a few things, my acrobatics are still much slower than your own. You swim much faster than me, and your weapon mastery exceeds my own. I exceed you in hand to hand and stamina, but in so many ways we are the same. This is only a scratch of the surface I am sure, what is important now is that we find out what the dagger of Xian has in common with Xibalba and also how it ties into our primary mission of finding the two other gods of Atlantis. I am sure you would agree on this?" she took Lara's left hand with her right and squeezed it softly as her left hand patted Lara's left outer thigh comfortingly. "We really do need to get busy, where is that dagger now?"

The entire time Lara listened to Valkyrie, her thoughts flooded with a 100 things. What she could never bring herself to do, open up, was now done for her, and understood fully what was going on within her. Lara was alarmed and strongly concerned of course! What else could Valkyrie do? Was she reading her mind all this time? Or was she gathering the memories that Lara pressed deeply into her mind in an attempt to seal it away. All the things Valkyrie said were true though, the difference in strengths between them was just as impressive as the weakness they had independent of each other. Perhaps what the _flaws removed_ concept could 'truly' be seen as is that each of them had their own set of flaws, but together they had none. "I still have it." Lara gathered herself "As I got home after the destruction of half the great wall, which cost me a damn fortune I might add! Marco Bartoli's men came to my home and tried to reclaim the dagger and end my life. After I secured them a permanent place in a church lot I was able to truly adore my prize. I left it in the air tight vaults underneath my home. _**Thankfully**_ that was never destroyed." Lara squint her eyes playfully at Valkyrie in a bit of tease about her prior deed.

Valkyrie shrugged before standing up to now look down at Lara "My apologies." She tilted her head up with a bit of feigned arrogance, and defiance. "But you really should have had a better security system. I mean truthfully, I just walked in." she folded her arms under her breasts much like Lara does and extended her right leg forward in a bit of a pose.

Lara's mouth fell agape, "Why you little git!" she then started laughing now crossing her legs and started cracking the knuckles of her right hand. She was pleased that Valkyrie helped cheer her up, she needed it.

Valkyrie now allowed her arms to fall and planted her palms on her own hips, her sanguine braid fell across her shoulder in a most carefree fashion. "We are going to go get the dagger, then you want to go to China again?"

Lara nodded "Getting the dagger will be the easy part. Getting back into China?" here she sighed "After what happened? I think that will prove to be the challenge, but it isn't impossible. I still have a few connections there that I could contact for assistance. I'll arrange for quick air transport. **Lucky you**." Lara grimaced with a followed wink "You get to go sky diving. Then we go back and make our way to any remains of what was once beneath the great wall to see if we find any glyphs that are out of place like the one Zip found in Xibalba. Then we will go from there." She nodded in finalization of her plan.

Valkyrie nodded once as well. "And if the Chinese find out about your 'unauthorized visit' and come well prepared in accordance of your 'removal'? What would you do?"

Lara stood up from her chair closing the distance between, then placing her hands on her own hips in mimic of Valkyrie and asked "What would YOU do?" Lara wrinkled her nose at her twice.

Valkyrie smiled that wretched knowing grin and nodded. "Make sure they suffer."

**End Chapter 4**

Time to go to CHINA!!!!!


	5. Chapter 5

**Disclaimer:** I do not own anything in regards to the Tomb Raider franchise. This story is for the utter amusement and entertainment of the fans who appreciate Lara as being one of the best games in the world!

**Author Notes:** I like getting into the part of the characters that you do not see. What happens 'in between' Lara's excursions? How does she interact with the people in her life when it is not over her headset? Read on and (hopefully enjoy my imagination). Love it or hate it, I'm still Batman!

**Chapter Five:** First Slumber

Lara's 'arranged' helicopter hovered down silently into China 4:00a.m. near a part of the Shanhaiguan area of the Great Wall. The pilot suggested to Lara that she use a slip rope, over her primarily proposed idea of sky diving, because of the tourist season upon which she was entering. Lara would have had a higher chance of being seen sky diving on a clear day, or even at night where people would gather more in certain areas after hours. She took the advice and was inwardly a bit disappointed. She did really want to see that Valkyrie got a chance at a true adrenaline rush. At any rate she and Valkyrie slid down the slip rope from 17 feet and the chopper went off about its merry way. Lara was wearing her now preferred 'Legend Outfit' which she preferred when dealing with warmer climates. Valkyrie was wearing Lara's shiny 'Black Catsuit' that Lara wore on a previous adventure. She had Lara's tastes, much to Zip's dismay, Natla made Valkyrie TOO well. Valkyrie really saw no point in buying new clothing since everything she wanted Lara had, and Lara agreed, that her closet was full of things she may not even wear.

Lara sighed and stretched as she cracked her hands together with extended arms followed by a soft yawn. "Well! This really should be _quite_ entertaining Valkyrie!" Lara smiled contentedly that she was back in China 'welcome or not' "I am hoping you will enjoy this 'little trip' as much as I will. Now that we have the Dagger of Xian and some other personal favorites of mine we can get to it." Lara now used her binoculars, to zoom in and check out The Great Wall of China, which was not even 23 feet away from their current position "Tsk, tsk. Look at all that. They seemed to have closed off my last entrance and may have even refortified it with steel at this point." She huffed a bit and put her binoculars back into her backpack.

Valkyrie had her own binoculars and put them away as well. She looked to her left at Lara and shrugged "So what? Stronger things have been built that you have penetrated, you should see if the money you had to 'donate' after your prior visit was put to proper use." She now looked away. "Natla once said to Amanda _'If you have a wall before your vision or dreams, then you were __**born**__ unprepared to destroy mans bricks with your hands. Man's inventions by their very nature are meant to keep you out_' if you think about it, it holds true to our predicament right now." She tilted her head in a wondering fashion.

Lara nodded and clucked her tongue "Well, okay. The next question is 'did Amanda listen to her?' I mean '_really_' Valkyrie. Amanda really can be _impossible_ to get through to sometimes." She flicked her loose pony tail over her shoulder, and started walking ahead as she adjusted her black fingerless gloves.

Valkyrie snorted once and answered "Not a **word** of Natla's was heard. As a matter of fact…" she was walking after Lara now keeping her eyes moving across the terrain for any signs that their position was given away "Amanda told Natla in retort '_Yes, well, that may be the case for one of Atlantis. Women can un-build a man through words or actions of passion. As long as you know how to keep a man's hands busy on __**you**__, __your__ visions or dreams will become __**his**__, and you are never told no.' _I do not think Natla appreciated it, she didn't speak to Amanda for three days." Here she smiled deviously as Lara replied.

"Ouch! Well, it's not to say that Amanda never knew how to use her natural assets. She was always rather good with the boys in our earlier days. I am _sure_ that Natla in all of her 'godly glory' was a bit taken back. Natla probably had become quite frigid over time of not having…._attention_." Lara cleared her throat and decided to leave that subject alone now, when you speak of another's sexual exploits it always leads back to your own. She had a bad feeling that Valkyrie would kind of _know _Lara's 'score' and would attribute it to some kind of flaw that Lara had which would put an abrupt end to her 'oh _so lovely_ day'.

Valkyrie did not pay much mind at all to Lara's 'detour of subject'. She did smirk to herself however, that could be used for a bit of fun later if Lara ever proved to be difficult. Her focus was back onto the game now though, she saw Lara looking at an old note that must have been a marking of entrances or exits from her last visit. She could tell Lara was scratching things out as she went, that must mean that things were in fact either newly sealed or no longer a secret entrance. Lara sighed quickly and balled up the paper, Valkyrie heard her mumble something about rubbish and start doing 'her thing'.

Lara, not to be deterred, knew that the Great Wall had stones from Shan Xi which had extremely high metal in the bricks which gave it the silver color. She shot her magnetic grapple out to the side of one of the oldest looking parts of the wall, and then planted her feet to that wall and started her ascension upward. Lara's eyes were looking to the sides and in front of her as she climbed. Upon reaching the top she released the magnetic grapple and placed it back onto her belt loop. Lara then followed the wall to one of the fort like structures and climbed to the top of that and crouched in order to keep from being seen easily. "Alright…. Shanhaiguan means 'Number _One Pass Under Heaven_' which is the first great mountain that the Great Wall climbs. This means that this is also the 'Museum of the Construction of the Great Wall' which was built around the Song Dynasty." She was tapping two fingers of her right hand against her chin. She paid no mind to the soft thump behind her which was Valkyrie making her own way up when she could who then crouched down adjacent from Lara to watch any movements behind them. Lara was looking around at the top of the foundation upon which she just climbed and started looking at the bricks beneath her feet. There was definitely another way in, the Chinese were brilliant! Maybe she could find a secret tunnel that allowed them to shift change or hold food in emergencies. "Number One Pass Under Heaven….all of the words are capitalized, it may not be because of its title sake…" she pondered deeply and called out "N..O..P..U..H.." none of which any of these letters could make a word that came to mind that would tie into the Chinese dynasty. She then tried something else "Alphabetically the position of the letters would be 14, 15, 16, 21, and 8." Lara looked around her footing area and noticed that some brick were not as silver as the rest of the wall. A frown to her brow and a quick thump of her heart in hope her mind went to work. "The bricks? Could it be some kind of combination?" she started her mental count of the bricks and tried stepping on the 14th which provided no result. Lara crouched again and examined the brick closer, gold?! She then took out her magnetic grapple and attached the end of it onto the brick and turned it on. The grapple clamped tightly to the brick and Lara was able to pull it up a few inches before it stopped after hearing her _favorite_ sound –a small incomplete _**click**_- she then went to brick 15, 16, 21, and then back to 8. Her breath held in as she now pulled up on the 8th brick which a latch seemed to snap, and an area where they stood slid back to expose a ladder carved into the inner wall. Lara smiled brightly at Valkyrie and winked as she threw a flare down to the bottom and started making her decent with her dark twin following closely behind her.

After getting to the bottom Lara turned on her battery powered light and looked around cautiously. In the distance she heard growls and very close howls "Oh that's just lovely." Lara sighed heavily with a knowing glance to Valkyrie who heard it was well. Lara nodded to Valkyrie that they both indeed knew what was ahead of them, but why it was ahead of them here was the question "Wolves?! Why are there wolves here? The Chinese considered wolves a catastrophe! Tigers being here? Yes…but WOLVES? That isn't kosher at all." Lara then focused her attention back onto the area they were in. "Looks like this was one of the guard barracks…" looking at a few skeletons hanging half off the beds with long broken spears at their sides or crushed skulls. Some skeletons had limbs removed or no limbs at all, which was a definite indication that the wolves came up a long time ago for a snack. Some skeletons were obviously murdered. Two skeletons in particular were in seeming embrace of each other. Here Lara played a smile upon her lips "Must have been brisk that night." she spoke in passing with mirth as she touched the level of dust that was on one of the ribs of another skeleton. "We are in luck. It looks like the Chinese may have forgotten this area as well." Lara now stopped at an entrance way and held a hand up to stop Valkyrie "This is 'not' good. The wolves seem to have taken advantage of the forgotten barracks tunnels."

Valkyrie raised her left brow and looked over Lara's shoulder and saw what she had seen now. The room they stared into contained old spears, swords, dusty shoes, and helmets. Only two exits, one upon which they were standing in currently and the other across the room which happened to be full of the starving wolves they heard earlier as the descended. After a silent count the room had held a strong eight in total two males who looked like they just finished fighting and six females. Valkyrie snickered and looked at Lara with a bit of contempt "Not good. For THEM." And with only a soft wind Valkyrie was gone. A perfect placed shadow kick between the two males to send them into the female for a good startle effect. Then as her power gathered again she took out her guns and shot both of the stunned males between the eyes twice with two squeezes of her triggers. The enraged and starving six females struck at Valkyrie wildly in a pack which by now her shadow power has regenerated. She smirked and did short bursts of speed repeatedly appearing behind one on the left and pulling its tail and used it as a mace in a wrestling like 'giant revolving swing upon which one man would hold another by his legs and spin him' finally releasing the dizzying female into a wall which ended abruptly with a crack of its neck. The other five wolves were bashed in by their sister like a dropped bag of fruit. She stood firm in place not moving much and then suddenly looked at Lara. "They were not endangered were they?" she could not help but smile that enigmatic grin of hers.

Lara stood there with folded arms and pursed her lips playfully "No. If it was a Siberian Tiger we would have had another issue, but Eurasian Wolves? You could buy a license to shoot a wolf for $200.00 if you were at the right auction. So you basically did a favor for them." She walked into the room with her casual stride and made her way through the fresh carcasses of wolves. "Nicely **done** by the way. Saving a few bullets here and there can always be helpful."

Valkyrie stared after Lara and smirked before following her. "Pity, but I thank you none the less." They then went into a long corridor which eventually landed them exactly where Lara wanted to go after exiting from a secret hidden wall.

"Bingo." Lara affirmed that of which she sought. The under sanctuary of where she had once faced off with the dragon form or Marco Bartoli. Lara went over to where the long dried blood of where the dragon melted in defeat, her eyes seeing her past experience playing back for her. A soft sigh of collected memories escaped her lips, or was it awe of her own personal growth? "Start looking for a glyph, or any other kind of connection would you?" she called over to Valkyrie who was watching Lara silently with an unreadable look on her face. "Zip. Can you hear me?" She just now clicked the on button of her headset and hit connect. "Zip?"

"I'm here. About time, how is China?" he responded with what seemed to be relief. Lara smiled softly at his need to constantly worry over her. Zip was cross referencing all kinds of things Lara let him see in her vaults when she came home to recover the dagger. He had a LOT to do, which is why she is only making contact when she needed to. This time she brought a unique flare he had asked her to attain through a few connections of his. These flares were military tested to give bright light that would allow a daytime effect in the darkest of night. They were not willing to use it because the light would also give away their position at night as well. Lara was able to get quite a few for a very good price.

Lara tapped the side of her own face near the eyes to signal to Valkyrie to put on her sunglasses. They both did so, Lara had crimson shades on, Valkyrie had midnight black ones with a tint of violet. Lara then twisted the flare and had to turn her back! "By the graces of the Queen! That light is enough to see from space Zip!!" she held her left arm over her eyes as she backed away. Her eyes watered a bit until she was at a comfortable distance. "I hope you can see the video clearly NOW." She had a bit of bother in her voice. Thank goodness she could not see Zip smiling right now in humor. "Alright Zip, talk to me. Do you see anything that we can use as a tie in to how the Thor legend and The Dagger of Xian are connected?"

Valkyrie had only turned her back and closed her eyes as she waited patiently. When the light was a bit dimmer she would open her eyes a little more and more. She was going to change his password to his equipment for this.

Zip took in a very deep breath and let out kind of a weird laugh. "Well…that depends. I think I found a _little_ hint." He sat back in his office chair and rapped his ten fingers across both his knees. "What the hell is going on?!" he ran a hand through his hair. "Lara, look up."

Lara and Valkyrie looked up together and saw three large statue replicas carved into the ceiling. One obviously the Xian Dagger, a second which was a carving of Thor's Hammer, and the last of which Lara could honestly say she was not surprised to see after this new adventure started "Excalibur." She sighed. "Arthur, Thor, and now the Xian Dragon? It still doesn't make sense. Not to mention the weird symbol in the middle of them. I think….that is a sign of Atlantis! I vaguely remember seeing that in Natla's Great Pyramid! Looks like we found a sniff of our Atlantians!" Lara nodded confidently and started taking pictures with her camera.

Valkyrie then spoke up "The unwanted guest, has warranted others of the unwelcome nature."

Lara turned around "Hm? Oh bother." She said very casually as she snapped her camera closed and tucked it away. "Hello. I trust you have been enjoying the atmosphere of China's rich history?" she smiled coyly.

"Shut it Lara! To hell with the history of China!" several tactical armored men behind her aiming assault rifles at Lara and Valkyrie. "Give me the damn dagger bitch or this will get messy!" Amanda held her hand out demandingly "That is one of the pieces that will open the door to Avalon!"

Lara pouted in utter denial "Whatever do you mean? Are you still on this?" she remained smiling.

"Shut the HELL up! GIVE IT TO ME NOW!!!!"

**End of Chapter 5**

Meeeeooooowwwwww fst fst!

**Author's Notes:** This is the first fan fiction that I have ever written. I have to admit it is fun to tie things together, and if you ever wonder why the chapter titles are named kind of weird, there is a tie into that as well. Just stay with me, there is a reason for everything. Thanks!


	6. Chapter 6

**Di****sclaimer:** I do not own anything in regards to the Tomb Raider franchise. This story is for the utter amusement and entertainment of the fans who appreciate Lara as being one of the best games in the world!

**Author Notes:** I like getting into the part of the characters that you do not see. What happens 'in between' Lara's excursions? How does she interact with the people in her life when it is not over her headset? Read on and (hopefully enjoy my imagination). Love it or hate it, I'm still Batman! (that's right...I'm BATMAN ^o_o^ )

**PLUS:** (I will be using some British terms from time to time followed by a numeric (1) or (2) which will be in the foot notes at the bottom. Enjoy!

**Chapter Six:** The First Word "Obey me"

Lara's breathing remained quite even and calm. Not once taking her eyes off Amanda or her men, she pondered quickly the options, she knew Valkyrie was behind her but _what_ was she doing right now? Probably standing there watching for my next move. Lara amused herself even now under the circumstance. She felt the odds were a bit more in favor of her own 'this time'. Usually it is her versus a small army of men. Lara stared deeply into Amanda's eyes and decided for the most expected route, talking to get information. "We are back to this again? Nepal was not enough? Funny..." here she tilted her head to the left in sarcasm "I really did think we were past this. Now here you are, making demands and asking for 'my' dagger." Her eyes narrowing at her claim in point that she was not willing to give it up.

Amanda's eyes widened in a wild feral like fashion as she grit bared teeth at Lara "To HELL with us being past this!" she wove her left arm in violent slash motion to express her finalization in her **own** point "**You**_ killed_ James!, and I'll be damned if I EVER" shaking her right index finger of her right hand back and fourth slowly at Lara "and I mean **EVER** allow you to destroy my dream! I WILL go to Avalon Lara, and YOU, your mother, your father, and that traitorous BITCH behind you cannot detour me from that! Now stop stalling! Give me the dagger!" her breathing was heavier now, she had to shake her hair from her face. The scar that Lara gave her before seemed to turn burgundy with her growing rage.

"Actually, if one were to be accurate about all of this. YOU were the one who betrayed **me**. Do not think that I have forgotten, or _forgave_ **you** for that. Be patient however, you and I will have reconciled about _**that**_ very soon." Valkyrie spoke up in a mocking manner. Lara could not help but think '_there she is_!' Valkyrie walked forward slightly behind Lara and a smirk formed at the corner of her lips "You can be so tedious really. Avalon this, and kill Lara that. You truly have become quite predictable actually." her hands remained at her sides, her body language told nothing to Amanda or her men which had their assault rifles trained on them.

Lara took a silent breath inwardly, she knew Valkyrie would be able to read into her lead, get in Amanda's head, get her emotional, and make **her** make the first mistake. Lara's eyes now seemed to smile, both of them stared at Amanda with the 'look' that both Amanda and Natla came to loathe. "The same words cannot hurt me Amanda, my mother, father, and my friend Alister are a closed chapter. You and Natla had him killed if I do recall, but I am dealing with own my losses the best I can, but you seem to hold onto yours ever so well it seems. Tsk tsk Amanda. Did you not learn anything?"

"DO YOU WANT TO DIE?!" Amanda stepped forward and gripped her wraith stone tightly in her right hand. Amanda's eyes became the familiar white spheres as she started attuning herself to her dark dementor of vengeance. This may work well for the men in her employee as an intimidating tactic, but Lara defeated it once already. So fighting it again knowing it can be defeated was all too welcome to Lara. Still, Lara was not intimidated by her threat and Amanda knew it. One Lara was enough, but TWO of them? Now, _THAT_ is Hell! How in the world did the two of THEM team up?! Why NOW?! These were the thoughts that raced though Amanda's mind. Natla's doppelganger of Lara was deadly all by herself when on their side! Now the bitch was standing next to Lara!

Lara shook her head "Of COURSE I don't want to die Amanda. I mean really, there are just _so many_ things I have to do with my life now that I have let things go. Valkyrie and I have been enjoying a bit of sport as you can see, I wanted to show her where I have been. After all, you do not know where you are going, until you know where you have been. I thought _you_ of **all people** would see that." Lara was watching the mercenaries share annoyed glances at one another quickly. It was obvious what they were thinking; 'cat fight' men were all too predictable that way. Lara was all too pleased that Amanda did not hire female mercenaries; those would truly cause a pain in her backside. Calculating women with a fierce resolve all on one team is never a good thing. Then again, Lara and Valkyrie made an army of two between just the both of them. "The Avalon thing Amanda....it was real at one time, I don't doubt that." She recalled mentally looking at the golden sphere Arthur rested in deep beneath Professor Worth's King Arthur Museum. Then she continued "But Natla was using the lore to use you and used Thor's to use **me**. She even used my father Amanda! Natla was a manipulator! You _have _to see that. King Arthur and his knights were all resting in the crypt in England. Even if you were to go..."

Amanda injected seethingly "Oh and I WILL go!! You just don't get it do you Lara?" she now started pacing back and fourth like a starved wolf marking its prey, the blue color returning to her eyes "We are NOT even, I want to kill you in the worst ways, even my friend.." holding up the wraith stone "Would be wasted on killing you! No Lara, your death? That will be GLORIOUS. I _**promise**_ you that!!" she stepped forward again pointing her finger at Lara. Amanda's eyes shining wild and full of rage. "You are so STUPID; you don't even realize what you have. That little dagger you call YOURS? That is a tooth that was once Morgana le Fay after she became a dragon! She then took one of her own fangs and enchanted into that stupid little dagger in order to destroy Arthur and undo his round table. After fully enchanting the dagger she hid it inside of Pendragon crypt so it could not be used against her. Ironic, her powerful magic undone by her **own** powerful magic in the end, because that bitch Guinevere was the one who found it and pierced Morgana in the heart! The dagger was then sealed away and was not found until the 'First Anglo-Chinese War', or the more known term the 'First Opium War'. The Chinese then found the age old dagger, and saw the power that it held." here she laughed "I love the irony of it all really I do." she now stopped pacing and faced Lara, and now it was back to business it seemed.

Lara found herself bedazzled at the story; she had Zip on open mic through her headset so he heard everything. She did not have to tell him she wanted all of what Amanda was saying investigated. "Very interesting, but I still do not see why you want to go to Avalon still...not unless it is not the orchard of apples and prosperity that you seek, but the power of Morgana le Fay? And _if that is the case_, are you **mad**? If you are trying to do this, you will bring about chaos! This world has forgotten magic Amanda, and it would be even safer to regard it as alchemy, and that was never a good subject in its own rights if one was not taught properly. Alchemy would lead to necromancy, your death dealing 'friend' resting in your precious wraith stone is a fine testament to that!" Lara shook her head as she walked further within arms reach of Amanda.

"Enough! You can keep those bullshit theories of yours Lara! I don't care what the hell you think! But I'll show you how happy I will be when my foot is half way up you're a--"

"So predictable." was all Amanda heard, Valkyrie 'just appeared' between her and Lara. Lara was closing in the gap so that Valkyrie could fall in behind her and shadow or mimic her all the way up to their foe. This would not give Amanda time to react, call out for her men,** or** use her wraith stone, which Amanda now realized all too late that she was tricked. Valkyrie used her shadow powers and struck her knee into Amanda's stomach to cut her air short, thus limiting Amanda's actions critically. She then whooshed to the left in short bursts of speed so not to use all other shadow powers at one time, and started in on the men. As Amanda was heaving and gasping for air Lara walked in closer and crouched down to Amanda so they could be on an eye to eye level.

"Amanda, this Dagger of Xian is mine, you are chasing a dream, and I realize that things will never be patched between us. You feed off of hatred and revenge, and I pity you for that." Lara now stood up as Amanda's eyes were now tearing in rage as her face reddened with detest. The scar that Lara put upon her now seemed to be now white against her skin. Lara sighed heavily and took out her dual automatic pistols full knowing that Amanda's eyes were now following Lara's weapons in alarm "You seemed to forget the _**most**_ important lesson, you forgot it in Nepal after we survived the Midgard Serpent, and you forgot it now." Lara's eyes narrowed showing her burning passion that she managed to hide from Amanda until now "Every breath you take, is STILL a gift from me!" and pistol whipped the left side of Amanda's head knocking her out instantly. "If at once you don't succeed to knock sense into someone…" referring to the first time she pistol whipped Amanda once before. Lara now trained her guns on the men who were trying to exploit a weakness in Valkyries unnatural movements. Amanda did not tell them Lara would have help! Then again, Amanda did not know Valkyrie teamed up with Lara. Her bullets met well with the side of two of their heads that were closest to her. She then did a forward roll and swept kicked a third man who was reloading. After hitting the floor Lara chopped him across the neck with her left hand and then brought the gun of her right up to the side of his forehead and pulled the trigger. She took this moment on the floor to look around at the rest of the fight. Her eyes widened as two men had her in their sights and were squeezing the triggers. She had just raised one hand up in front of her face as if her hand could stop bullets and screamed out "Oh God!" she was a dead target, not able to move quickly enough to avoid the bullets that were about to be coming. _Thudda, thudda, thudda!_ Lara heard it, wild fire bursts that were to end her life. The men were firing in panic, they were terrified of the unnatural opponent that just ended the lives of their team, and they figured that if they were going down that they should shoot the one they KNOW they can hit! They were screaming in an almost insane manner as they fired at Lara. Dirt was flying and kicking up all around Lara in the wake of their guns.

Valkyrie just finished two men which would leave the two attacking Lara to be the last. She whipped around and her mouth fell open as she saw what was happening. She used her shadow speed to run forward, the bullets were moving blindingly fast, but she was determined to save the person who freed her and gave her life new meaning! "No!" she yelled out as she picked up a dead mercenary that Lara killed, and hurled the dead body over onto Lara. She heard Lara scream in pain as the bullets tore at her flesh. The body landed on top of Lara, and Valkyrie rushed to the left where the men were spraying their ammunition "DIE!" Valkyrie almost seemed to command them as she used her shadow powers to send both her fists into each of their chests. It was not a full power punch, but enough to send the body armor to indent where their hearts were. The metal of their assualt vest became knives in their chests which punctured their heart, ribs, and lungs. They both went down gurgling blood until their life ended. She then ran back over to Lara and pulled the body armored man she threw onto her off and to the side. "Lara?"

Lara was hissing and groaning as she writhed in pain holding her side with both hands. She was shot in the left leg three times, the forearm that she held up was shot twice and her right side was shot twice as well. Thank goodness the men were firing wildly! If they were in not in panic and aimed properly Lara would be no more.

Valkyrie went to work tearing off Lara's shirt and opened her trusty backpack retrieving the medi-packs and disinfectants that Lara was well minded enough to bring. Valkyrie doused her own hands with bottled waters so that she could wash off the dirt and dust, and then bathed her hands in the rubbing alcohol before she went to work using the long tweezers to start getting the bullets as far as she could to the surface of the skin before the bullets were too slick from the blood to properly grab. She heard Zip and Winston calling out Lara's name over her headset in panic. Valkyrie took Lara's grapple and turned it on, why? To pull out the bullets! The bullets that did not go through Lara's flesh and out the other side came right back out the way they came in! She gritted her teeth and used her shadow powers for the first time for more than just killing things. She used her shadow speed to work out the bullets and administer the bandages to Lara in a blur of motions. Eventually this brought the bleeding to a halt. Pain medicine was given to Lara, her wounds disinfected, and Lara now was whimpering instead of groaning heavily in agony. Valkyrie listened to Lara's breathing rate and sighed heavily "Bloody hell...." she lowered her head as she had lost control of her own heartbeat. Her pulse was still thumping quickly as the evident veins on her body seemed to darken with mixture of excite of battle and her new concern. This was because she could have lost Lara. She looked at her hands that were covered in Lara's blood, the very blood that Valkyrie always imagined to be on her hands because she would kill Lara one day. Irony would have it that Lara's blood was on her hands because she saved her life instead. Her body reacted in new ways. She was happy and she felt a sense of achievement even. "I **still** have flaws...." she muttered. She was not sure if she being a made creature that she was, deserved to have human happiness.

"The only flaws you have...are... my own." Lara's voice whispered as her hand rested on top of Valkyrie's. "Stiff upper lip lass." she smiled and took a slow deep breath. "Your hands are Au Fait (1) in pertinence to your medicinal knowledge! But, please do me a favor..." here Lara's eyes squint in smile "Don't _ever_ use my grapple like that again. It hurt like hell. I must say though, things went bomb(2) considering, you think?"

Valyrie smirked and helped Lara's topless body up carefully. She then unzipped and opened her catsuit, dropping it down to her own waist and took off her sports bra. She then carefully helped Lara into the sports bra and placed her own arms through the catsuit and zipped it back up fully. "A lady must always hold her virtue." she grinned at Lara as she helped Lara to her feet.

Lara laughed and winced as she did so "I am SO about to bung(3) you!" she laughed shortly as Valkyrie picked Lara up and started carrying her out of the under chambers of the great wall. Lara got down from her arms only to climb the ladder back up, she was more sitting on Valkyries shoulders as they went up so not to strain her wounds. As they both came up into the fresh air, they found it to be drizzling and a lot colder. Lara gasped against the nip of the cold and held her arms against herself as Valkyrie who now picked her up again to which Lara was very thankful for the body heat."Th--thank you..." she shivered and inwardly cursed the weather. "Zip..."

Zip's voice interrupted her before she finished "Ten minutes. They will pick you up right there, so don't move. They are tracking your P.D.A. device signature. Are you coming home? I think you deserve a good rest after that fiasco."

Lara was content with her tech, he was on the ball and she appreciated that about him. "No need, I'll rest when I'm dead Zip, but I would be absolutely chuffed(4) to get a shower and a warm bed. When I get back to the hotel I will contact you then Zip, by then I hope you have some more info for me about Amanda's oh so lovely historical update."

Valkyrie and Zip both chuckled at Lara's 'appropriate' humor in all things regardless of her circumstances. Valkyrie sighed and watched the helicopter approach in against the night sky. "I hope Amanda starts coming up with new material to get on about. Hearing the same old thing is becoming quite bothersome. I am just sure she is _**so **_disappointed she never got to introduce her foot to your backside."

Lara snickered in a most controlled fashion. If she laughed aloud she would be in great pain! "Hush." She whispered fighting a smile.

_~Later that evening~_

Lara now had new bandages after her shower and was relaxing on her back reading what Zip had e-mailed to her laptop.

Valkyrie was sitting in her own bed. The hotel arranged for them was in India, staying in China was a bad idea which both of them agreed. Two beds and a cart full of room service later and the two women were in their own bliss. Valkyrie was combing her loose sanguine hair and then braided into her favored fashion. She was watching out the window admiring the now heavy rainfall. She spoke aloud to Lara without turning around "I think it will be in your best interest to get Excalibur as soon as possible. It will be only a matter of time before Amanda seeks to invade your home again to reclaim your treasure. A pity though....Thor's Hammer is now lost forever..." she sounded a bit defeated by this fact as she leaned back onto her own bed and laid upon her back.

Lara was not looking over at her right now either. She only made her well know "Ah hmmm" sound as she read Zip's findings. As she was done she powered down the laptop and now looked over at her dark twin. "I think I may have a way to get that back actually." clucking her tongue thoughtfully.

"How is that? It is deep within the thrall elixir. Not unless..." she turned her face to look over at Lara's bed propping her head up with her arm as a smile broadened on her lips "You are planning to make the thralls get it _**for you**_..." she stared at her counterpart completely bewildered at the ingeniousness of Lara's mind.

Lara nodded "Those oh so magic words 'Ok Eshivar' is going to be used a lot actually. Looks like I will be **yet again** going BACK to Nepal. That gate will be our key to get back there, then I will have the yeti thralls search that horrid substance for what I need. Also, Zip found that we 'just might' be able to use the Dagger of Xian, Excalibur, and Thor's Hammer as keys. The very keys that may get us into the desired realms that will lead us closer to the elusive last two gods of Atlantis." Lara winked and then started making preparations to turn in for the night.

Valkyrie turned her focus back up at the ceiling and smiled contentedly as she sunk into her pillow and pulled up her covers "You don't know where you are going...." she smiled as she closed her glowing eyes.

Lara reached over to her bedside lamp, flipping it off allowing darkness to claim their room as she finished Valkyrie's statement with a pleased identical grin "Until you know where you've been."

**End Chapter 6**

**Author's Notes: **

**Au fait** - Another one of those French expressions that have slipped into the English language. This one means to be **familiar** with something.

**2) Bomb** - If something goes like a bomb it means it is going **really well** or **really fast**. Or you could say an event went down like a bomb and it would mean that the people really enjoyed it. In the US the meaning would be almost exactly the reverse.

**3) Bung** - To bung something means to **throw** it. For example you could say "bung my car keys over, _mate_".

**4) Chuffed** - You would be chuffed to bits if you were really **pleased** about something.


	7. Chapter 7

**Disclaimer:** I do not own anything in regards to the Tomb Raider franchise. This story is for the utter amusement and entertainment of the fans who appreciate Lara as being one of the best games in the world!

**Author Notes:** I like getting into the part of the characters that you do not see. What happens 'in between' Lara's excursions? How does she interact with the people in her life when it is not over her headset? Read on and (hopefully enjoy my imagination). Love it or hate it, I'm still Batman! (That's right...I'm BATMAN ^o_o^ )

~~Sorry I have posted in a while. My job demanded more of my rear end than a toilet seat. I almost forgot I had a home LOL. Well, back to it! (Reviews are welcome; it inspires one to write more. I am sure it works for you as authors/readers as well)

**Chapter Seven:** Crawling

It was a rather turbulent ride on the plane back to England, Valkyrie and Lara felt every movement of wind that pressed against the aircraft. It was a private jet belonging to an old friend of Lara's that she had arranged for the pilot to meet them at an airstrip in India. Lara was feeling the small aches and pains of her injuries still, she had decided to rest for a month in that hotel room as she took care of dividends and errands over the phone or computer, but the idea of what Valkyrie had said about Amanda trying to get Excalibur rang into her mind repeatedly. Amanda probably already assumed that Lara grabbed that FIRST and then made no effort to go to Croft Manor to gather the artifact. More than anything Lara assumed that Amanda was waiting for Lara to make her move now.

The flight seemed to take forever, but when it finally did end they were both grateful to get back to work. By now Zip had taken all of the stuff they had in Saint Francis's Foley and brought it back home. She and Valkyrie agreed that they were a great team and thus she was more than welcome to share her home. Zip had no argument other than that at least there some of the stereo equipment was actually HIS and there was some kind of warning about touching things that belonged to him that somehow involved a shoe vanishing into a backside in some kind of fashion. Valkyrie and Lara were not paying him much mind.

Lara's front door was opened for her by a beaming Winston who smiled from ear to ear with pleasure of her return to a now completed home. "Welcome back Lara!" he bowed professionally and then smiled at Valkyrie also "And welcome home to you as well Lady Valkyrie." He inclined his head politely to her as she passed nodding back to him. It was a new thing for her to be welcomed somewhere and Lara had asked Winston to greet her as such from henceforth.

Zip waved from behind his computer screen "Welcome back my favorite twins of carnage, Evil Knievel and Evil Lynn have entered the building." He bowed in a funny mockery of a conductor before his orchestra. "So?" standing up again and folding his muscular arms while taking a deep breath followed by a cluck of his tongue "What now, where to?, And what for?"

Lara smiled at both of the men; she hugged Winston and kissed his cheek, and gave a soft laugh towards Zip's comments. After putting her carry bag down she tilted her head to him and smiled "And _**who**_ exactly pray tell, are you referring to as Evil Lynn or Evil Knievel? Which one of us are you directing each of those 'glorious' titles to?"

Valkyrie looked over at Zip and just dropped her bag absently and stared at him dead pan expressionless. She STILL had every intention of changing his password after his surprise light display in China. She still was annoyed by the brilliance of that damned flare! Now this interjected comment about some kind of evil plucked her nerve further. What would it be now? Wash something crimson in his white clothes? Or perhaps 'fix' his radio so that it only played 'Spice Girls' songs and locked it that way until he begged for her to stop! All this brought a most devious, yet perplexing grimace across her face a she simply seemed to smile wider at Zip which unnerved the shit out of him. "You don't know evil _**yet**_…." She grinned.

Zip's eyes widened, he did NOT like the way she said that, but being the smug guy that he was he stated what he shouldn't have "Does it matter? Like there is really a difference between the two when it comes to you two." He was smiling from ear to ear himself until he took a really good look at both of the women's expression on him, identical quirk of the brow and accusing eyes. The smile fell off his face instantly, and a knot appeared in this throat. It was probably the shoe he just placed in his mouth. "I mean, um….you know I was joking….right?" he stuttered as he looked back and fourth.

"2 minute start." Lara spoke suddenly with an even calmness as she walked over casually and took twin curved swords from an Arabian culture that crossed over a shield. She tossed one over to Valkyrie who masterfully whipped it around in circular motions and then started checking the weight of the sword in her hand. "Nicely made. Is it durable?" she looked over at Lara.

"Oh yes, most _**certainly**_" she pronounced boldly "It's not sharp, but it is quiet blunt on the edge. You know…these were once used to break rocks or stone that would be used for buildings or carvings. It's strong enough to crack even the toughest nut (A.N./nut=cranium) with the right swing." She paid no mind to Winston who seemed to have made an abrupt departure from the room with utmost haste.

Zip started waving his hands and arms in criss-cross motion in front of him "Whoa! WHOA!! Lara! Val! Look okay, I was kidding! KIDDING! You two are the most beautiful, courageous, and beguiling women I know!" pointing to Lara "You are Alpha!" then to Valkyrie "And you are Omega!"He smiled nervously looking between the two; he did not want to have inflicted migraines.

Lara played her sword in circular motions as she looked at Valkyrie "What do you think? Should we forgive him?"Lara smirked deviously at the bit of fun they were having at him.

Valkyrie shown no such smile and shook her head back and fourth "No." she said and Zip's face paled a bit. She lifted her blunt sword and pointed it at him "No. for TWO reasons. 1-He never really cleared up which of us Evil Lynn or Evil Knievel, you know we women do not being called names then referred to another woman for _**any**_ reason, and 2-He called me Val. He dies."

Zip turned tail so quickly he knocked over his own desk and two of his monitors as he screamed over his shoulder "LARA! Keep her away from me! HELP! She's CRAZY! Winston!!! Help man!!!" he jumped over her coffee table in front of her fire place and burst out the door wildly. His dreads were as if someone was pulling them back behind him he ran so fast.

Lara was covering her mouth with he empty hand and choking on her laughter. She thought that Zip would know that she and Valkyrie were messing with him, but she did not expect THAT kind of reaction from Zip. "That was BRILLIANT!" Lara held her hand between her breasts as if trying to keep air in her lungs from her laughing so hard.

Valkyrie shrugged and walked around Zip's desk and leaned over his keyboard and typed with her open hand. "Let's see. I'll change his password to this…and then…." She was typing with one hand, but her hand was a blur. Lara was at a loss as to what she was doing to Zip's computer. Valkyrie stood back and winked at Lara with that smile again. She then brought the sword back over to her so that Lara could put them both back on the display.

Lara not able to stand it anymore asked "Alright, what did you do? I am burning with curiosity!" she grimaced from ear to ear with anticipation of the answer.

Valkyrie's eyes narrowed with her wolfish grin "Changed his password of course. I changed it to 'I like boys' and then I left him a hint. The background on his desktop now has a boy band on it with hearts behind them. It's not fair to leave him out of the puzzle solving after all. WE do all the work. Then I replaced every song on his IPOD with classics like 'It's a small world after all' and other favorites I know he will just **adore**." She giggled a bit and walked off. "I'm in need of a hot bath; I'll meet you within the hour in the main foyer."

Lara watched her twin walk off and walked around to look at the computer screen. She put the password in and waited. She thought the new password was cute after all. She then looked at Zip's playlist and had many family oriented songs and many more teeth grindingly annoying songs that would make even her pull her braid out after time. Lara closed her eyes and sighed extensively "They are going to kill each other at this rate." She smiled but shut down the computer with short giggles the more she thought on it. After going upstairs and taking her own bath she came back down to find Valkyrie sitting in a chair with her feet up on a stool smirking behind a magazine she was flipping through while Zip was going off in a tangent behind his glass protected wall where he worked. He was trying his best to get into his computer, and after hacking into his own system (he was _**NOT**_ going to type in what his password was changed into. To hell with **that**!!!! He thought) was outraged at the songs that were playing on a fixed decibel that he could not turn down. His fingers were flying on his keyboard and out of sheer frustration he ripped his speakers out the back on his hard drive as he was trying to delete the song lists. Lara looked from him to Valkryie, then to Winston who was standing nearby with hands clasped in front of him with obvious earplugs in. She smiled at the aged butler and he smiled back. Lara looked over at Valkyrie and huffed in a most amused manner "Can you end the torture now? I need him to work my deviant twin."

Valkyrie's eyes were now seen as she lowered the magazine she read and sighed because he fun was ending. She held up a remote and clicked it once and the last remaining lock she had on his PC was removed. His songs lists reappeared and his password would be able to be reset back to normal. She had set everything up to be in her little device, when he turned the music down, she turned it back up which was confusing him and when he changed songs she started another annoying one. "Always going to be for a laugh, that one is." Referring to Zip over her shoulder."

Zip was watching Lara now and as Valkyrie displayed her 'power point control tactic' he held his hands to both sides of his head and moaned lowly. "Damned evil ass bit---WOMAN" he caught himself. He was not surprised to see Lara quirk a brow and Valkyrie turn around in her seat to stare at him, almost daring him to finish what he wanted to say. After several awkward moments of silence he held up a hand "My bad, I'm just upset and that was uncalled for." He cleared his throat and turned back to his work.

Lara and Valkyrie looked at each other and Valkyrie was given a look from Lara that she explained that Valkyrie went a little **too** far in the defense of Zip. Valkyrie nodded and turned back around and stood up leaving the room for a moment, and came back with one of his favorite drinks. She placed it as his right on his desk and patted him on the back apologetically which he responded with a nod and a thanks. They then started talking about what the next move was in regards to Lara's new directive.

Lara looked over at Winston who was now removing his earplugs and smiled as she said "Kids." With a roll of her eyes and a returned roll of his as well back to her they went back to business.

_**6 hours later**_

Lara after going through what they found so far was comfortable with her current plan in regards to going back to Nepal. Zip had his own arguments about her re-opening something that she has found closure on already and Winston was concerned about her in the simple fact that she would be going back to the thralls and inwardly hoped that upon seeing those horrid creatures again would not be reminded of the fate that befell her mother.

Valkyrie was unaffected by this for she was the most anxious to tear those things apart, and if she was lucky, she may have the opportunity to throw Amanda's ass down into the eitr in a returned favor of what Amanda tried to do to her. Amanda was a pain to work with, and Natla amused Valkyrie to no ends, well as much as Natla could stand to look at her anyways. Both women hated Lara and **both** failed each time they tried to kill her. Quite frankly the two of them together were still outmatched by Lara's quick wit. She said nothing after her birth '_**until**_' Lara asked questions of her underneath Croft manor. Valkyrie had to admit, she was in awe a bit of Lara, the one she was a copy of. She watched patiently, and listened to how she handled things, what none of them knew was that like Amanda who stole a headset long ago she too had grabbed one and listened in on the conversations. She laughed inwardly as she got to know Lara and how she operated. Amanda bitched about Lara constantly, but Lara thought not much about Amanda until she was confronted by her. Natla hissed at mention of Lara's name and yet it was not until Natla's name was tied to Alister's death, that she paid the Goddess of Atlantis any attention until then. By then all Lara really wanted was the belt and hammer of Thor in order to kill Natla. Valkyrie was very pleased Lara allowed her to exist to see today. She was learning so much and having a genuine blast.

Zip was calling out a check list as Lara was checking her things and making sure other ends were met and in order as well. Winston was helping her go through it all and Lara was already wearing Excalibur on her back, she was sure that from here on Amanda would attack her on sight and unexpectedly. She had to be ready for that, but not loose focus on her objective. If even she lost one artifact upon getting Thor's Hammer back everything could be jeopardized! "Well, looks like everything is in tip top condition!" she rested her hands on her hips and nodded more to herself than to them. Lara was wearing a white long sleeve button up shirt and tight black khaki pants with her favorite hiking boots. "Alright Valkyrie, no need to waste anymore time, my wounds from China are going to get better along the way. We cannot afford any more time wasted." Adjusting Excalibur on her back absently and picked up her travel bags.

Valkyrie nodded and picked up her own things. Zip patted her on her shoulder as she passed and whispered for her to take care and watch out for Lara. Valkyrie nodded, that is definitely something she could do. She followed Lara outside to her Lincoln Navigator that she had favored when she was going long distances, she would have it shipped to other countries if she needed to carry extra baggage and if anyone knew Lara Croft, they knew she meant her arsenal back up. Valkyrie sat in the passenger side and grew more excited the more the front gate to Croft Estate grew closer, and when the gates parted and they left her heart seemed to never slow down. She sighed just for the sake of doing so because she wanted so much to continue the adventure. She looked over at Lara who was making phone calls to old friends and some woman named Anya to provide some connections while in Nepal. Valkyrie took out her dual pistols and started checking them over, she unlike Lara found out that most people named their weapons, so her left pistol she named Irony and her right Pistol she named Fate. She was rather fond of her given names to her pistols. She thought they fit the guns and her self quite well. "So when we get to Nepal and go through this gate…we will be…where exactly?" she asked with a strong curiosity.

Lara keeping an eye on the road replied "Well, considering I have only come back from it once and never actually _gone through_ it, I believe we will arrive back to the very place where upon I 'thought' I finished Natla with Thor's Hammer." Turning the radio down so that the two of them could talk, Lara was rather enjoying this.

"And how do you intend to get back? Coming back through the same portal to this temple in Nepal you told me off seems quite a bit of trouble. We appear there 'again' and then we go from there back to the airport and then to your next destination?" she was more than a bit skeptical.

Lara smiled and shook her head, not in disdain of Valkyrie, but in genuine surprise that she did not see what she was doing "Elementary actually. How did _**you **_get back and take Natla to this birthplace of yours?" she looked over at her and grinned playfully "I was hoping you would be able to show me how the hell you got out. Amanda and I barely made it last time. I thought she was going to leave me. I KNOW you won't, well…you better NOT anyways." Her eyes smiled at Valkyrie who returned the playful show of the eyes with a glint and sneer.

Valkyrie kicked herself inwardly and again the Croft woman was a few steps ahead of her. Not that she minded because it was refreshing that she could not figure Lara out completely. She found Lara a puzzle that she needed time to figure out and piece together, and not to mention that doing so was so bloody fun! Valkyrie nodded and looked out the window. "So, by plane then is it? Then by foot?"

Lara laughed a bit and patted Valkyrie on the thigh as she drove "What fun would that be? I have arranged for some of my favorite motorcycles, two in fact so we can have a bit of sport as we get on about it. I am just sure that Amanda is watching me right now and for all the love that is gold and rare, I hope she updated her insurance policies. She AND her men will be using their healthcare plan to great expenses. I did not fancy getting shot and I do so much want to return the favor." She smiled narrowly to herself at the thought of what happened in China. Valkyrie now saw a quelled fire that Lara held within from them all, and she was basking in it as if she was a phoenix. Valkyrie could not wait to see how THIS would play out.

_**End Chapter 7**_

**AN**: Starting in Nepal and things start getting interesting!!! Thank you to those who have added me as a favorite. I hope you enjoy where this will go!


	8. Chapter 8

**Disclaimer:** I do not own anything in regards to the Tomb Raider franchise. Alas, this is a pity…This story is for the utter amusement, entertainment, and bewilderment of the fans who appreciate Lara as being one of the best games in the world! The only thing hotter than Lara in my book is Batgirl, and the only thing hotter than them both is the sun. By the way, I'm STILL the BATMAN, I may even change my name. It's NOT an obsession mind you, it's my religion!

**Author Notes:** I like getting into the part of the characters that you do not see. What happens 'in between' Lara's excursions? How does she interact with the people in her life when it is not over her headset? Read on and (hopefully enjoy my imagination). Love it or hate it, it's up to you to decide.

**Chapter Eight:** First Emotion…**RAGE** "Battle Cry from the Heart of a toddler"

Nepal was just as snowy as Lara left it. The broken temple from her last narrow escape barely had enough to tell that there were in fact steps and things she could stand on as she made her way in. Last time when she came through here with Amanda after returning from Natla's defeat, Amanda used her wraith stone and brought pieces up from the great drop below in order for them to float across. Now was the time she missed having the accursed wraith 'THING' here to help them.

Lara looked over and smiled at Valkyrie and winked "PLEASE tell me you have an idea of how to speed this up. I do not fancy shimmying by hand the length of a football field." She returned her gaze back to the broken bridges and walkways that were once there while tapping her right hand against her thigh thoughtfully.

Valkyrie looked up, left, right, and down. "Not a clue." She said dryly with a shrug of her shoulders.

Lara closed her eyes and sighed heavily "Thanks. THANKS for the immediate response." She held the bridge of her nose and tried not to be annoyed. "Well then, I guess we will have to get inventive." Her brown eyes stated tracing the perimeter and outer area of the less than stable pieces of ruins. Lara used her binoculars to survey everything carefully for several moments in silence, her expert eye weighing how much weight each piece of wall, footing, and hand hold would support and at what speed. Sadly she found that shimmying was out, she would get half way across and if things eroded behind her she would be stuck. There really was nothing left to stand on which she knew already. Lastly she looked further into the distance and saw a huge piece of stone that would lead to the portal within the temple. Lara sighed very deeply showing her agitation, to her, it was just like being told 'no' when she could not get somewhere she wanted, and everyone knew Lara never accepted a no. She spun around and spoke through her clenched teeth and started shooting her motorcycle until it exploded.

Valkyrie was standing there admiring the surroundings while rapping her fingerless gloved fingers on her own thigh patiently. Lara was doing her thing which even she now started saying thanks to Zip. Her eyes watched the snow fall, she was utterly amazed, and it was her first snowfall that she had seen. It was almost hypnotizing; she stared until it somehow changed into ashes that fell softly through the sky as it now reminded her of what she had done to Lara's home. She closed her eyes and looked away clenching her hands into tight fists. "Damn it." She muttered under her breath. Even the beautiful things she now gets to see somehow always reminded her of something she had done that she now was not proud of. What took her out of this melancholy state? The explosion! "Bloody Hell!" she whipped around with pistols drawn and completely found her self floored to see Lara shooting her own equipment!! Her motorcycle was in flames and pieces fell here and there afterwards. She put her own guns away and looked at Lara who was doing the same "If you were cold, we could have just…lit a flare." She spoke indirectly looking at the flaming bike that fell over feebly onto its side.

Lara pulled the bangs from her face that fell into it after the explosion and coughed "True enough Valkyrie." She agreed as she walked towards that flaming bike to the front wheel which had now abandoned the bike it was once a part of, and used her booted foot to kick the burning rubber tire off the rim. It was still hot so she ended up throwing the hot rim into the deepest snow which sizzled loudly. Lara nodded and picked it up after a moment of dipping her own hands in the snow and with both arms brought it over to Valkyrie. "But I DO so hate the nip when I'm a bit put off. Here." She dropped at Valkyrie's feet and whipped her loose pony tail over her shoulder. "Is this terribly heavy to you? What can you do with it….if you had to…." Looking over behind her shoulder to the temple in the distance and then to Valkyrie again "Throw it?" she raised her favorite brow as she asked her dark twin.

Valkyrie was completely at a loss as to what Lara was doing THIS time. She looked down at the metal blackened rim that was dropped at her feet then back up at Lara, her face must had had her question on her mind but she did as she was asked to do and lifted it quiet easily. "60 pounds give or take, that is what it feels like to me, but I know it is more that that considering the amount of metal it is made of." She looked where Lara was looking, to the temple in the distance and then their eyes met at the same time. "I could throw it that far by using my shadow power, then what? We still could not get to it. It will make it there before **we **do."

Lara's eyes shined excitedly and she almost hopped in place "Brilliant! Alright then! Throw it HARD and stick it to the highest point of the temple. On the top there are these metal boxes on a scale, I just need to have a way to near one of those. You will see." She winked.

Valkryie nodded and carried the rim with one arm away from Lara to the central area upon where they entered so she could try to throw it straight. She kicked the snow away with her feet until she was standing on the wet soil beneath it and took in a deep breath. She extended her right arm which held the rim and took a discus throwing stance as she started spiraling in place as fast as she could, and when she could not anymore Lara started seeing her become enveloped in black pulsating energy as her spinning went from a slow deep WOOSH to a very thin and light zip as the rim cut the air in rapid circular movements. Valkyrie let go and Lara saw a shimmer for less than a second then hear a CRACK!!! At the other end the impact echoed several times in the grand stone walled courtyard and down beneath the emptiness that awaited them beneath the clouds. Valkyrie stopped instantly, although her hair would put one in the mind of a tribal wild woman from Calcutta. She started trying to make since of her hair and found that the asian hair catch she usually wore at the back of her head where her braid would fall from was gone! It obviously was flung out as she was spinning "Bloody hell." She slapped her own forehead and hissed at the audacity of the moment.

Lara was practically amazed! She knew Valkyrie could probably do it, but not so well! It went STRAIGHT dead center of the top of the foundation!! She was looking at it from her binoculars and screamed "YES!! You really ARE flawless!" aloud and smiled at Valkyrie and then realized how wild her hair was "By the Queen…." She looked away and snickered as she pretended to be coughing, but the expression on her face gave her away. She promptly got hit by a snowball in the rear rather smartly. "AH!!!!" Lara staggered as she held her backside and was given a deserved glare from a now loose haired Valkyrie who nodded in approval. Lara stood up regardless of her burning backside and now used her binoculars again "Alright. Now we are cooking! Do you think you can throw me as well?" rubbing her rear softly to ease the pain.

Valkyrie turned and faced Lara so fast that all oh her hair was nearly in her face "Are you MAD!? That is nothing but open area and a fall to your death just waiting to happen!" pointing at the misted blank and jagged area ahead of them.

Lara shook the finger of her right hand back and fourth at her "Tsk tsk, not all the way. I would not survive the impact if something went amiss. All I need you to do is get my halfway. You will get it when I start. Just follow my lead." She nodded in a silent asking of her trust in her.

Valkyrie nodded reluctantly and took Lara's arms and started swinging her the same way as she did the rim. Lara felt as if her lungs and heart were dropping down into her waistline she was being swung around so quickly. When Valkyrie yelled "NOW!" she knew that was her signal that she was about to release and to be ready, and there it was. Valkyrie shouted and whipped Lara into the air! Lara tucked inwardly so that she was in ball form in order to fly a bit further and smoothly. "As soon as she felt that she reached the arc and would go no higher she straitened out and twisted her hips so to face the other way right side up and took a VERY deep breath, she was already starting to descend and she was a bit more than halfway, but still to far to reach footing. Lara started swinging her grapple in circular motions to her right side and threw it as hard as she could. She was begging in her mind that this would work. Live dangerously, and live life was a favorite phrase. Her magnetic grapple soared through the air; rippling and whipping through the distance towards the temple and then SNAP! It connected to the rim!! And she hit the button on her on buckle to pull her in and as this happened she extended her legs pumping into her momentum as a child would on a swing to go higher and she grazed the mist below her and swung up to the other side. She landed against one of the pillars kind of roughly, but better _that_ than the bottom. Zip would be saying "This is crazy people stuff!" as he so remarked when she was once in Japan going from skyscraper to skyscraper on a motorcycle. She gathered herself and touched her headset to ring Valkyrie as she waved that she was indeed alright and that she made it.

Valkyrie answered "You are a crazy ass individual. I thought I knew you…but I don't. Not after that. What the hell is wrong with you?" she said just as serious which Lara could not help but laugh at Valkyrie's obvious amazement and disbelief.

"Oh get! That was nothing actually! You wait. There will be more." She laughed a bit and skipped her way to the scales where the gold box and three other metal boxes were which she had to balance at one time before in order to gain entrance. "Get ready to use your grapple when I say now._** NOW**_!" she did not give Valkyrie time to respond or ask why or what she was talking about. Lara took off Excalibur and swung it, the green blade like wave shot from her sword crackling into the sky. This was aimed at the gold box first, it was sent soaring into the air then the other three followed after she counted to 10 then 20 then 50 before she sent off the next. "Go!!"

Valkyrie's heart was thumping in her chest so hard she thought it would burst. She did not know what the hell Lara was doing but she knew she better listen now and ask later. When she saw the first box soaring rapidly towards the sky she frowned then her eyes popped open "Damn crazy ass woman!" she used her shadow power in her speed and became the well known blur and jumped as high as she could and swung her grapple at the box, snagged it and swung until she hit the full extent of her arc then retracted it. Then she saw the next box following up not too far away at a good space behind the last and swung for that one next, she got it and swung in further. The next box was starting to descend from the height of its travel and started falling and she waited just long enough until it was in grapple reach to swing out for that one, she nearly missed it, it caught the bottom right corner "Blood hell!!!" she arced her feet like Lara did to get a full swing in and then targeted the last box and threw her grapple again. The box was spinning wildly and her grapple ricocheted as it tried to connect. Valkyrie's eyes widened as realization came in and she heard Lara screaming her name. "So this is how I end…" she wondered.

Lara looked back and fourth and shot one of the ropes to the scale causing it to fall and tied it to her own waist hurriedly and ran out towards Valkyrie and jumped off and threw her grapple towards hers which was falling as helplessly as she was in hopes if not connecting to it, at least she would try to get them tangled enough to save her. Lara's grapple went by hers by inches, but the magnetic pulse was so strong that it pulled it in behind hers and they clasped and she yelled "Pull it in!!! RETRACT IT!!" which they both did, and after a moment beneath the misted clouds below the broken structures ground level Lara heard…

"For a moment…." Valkyrie spoke above a whisper.

"I know. I know…." Lara ended for her. She knew what she was thinking without having to even guess.

"I think I saw my hair catch. Just for a moment, glittering at the bottom of this damnable abyss. So, that answers where it went…"

"You are such a tourist." Lara laughed in a bit of contempt and disbelief. She _thought_ she knew Valkyrie at least. They seem to have to learn much more about each other.

~~Several moments later~~

Lara just finished up her first bottled water and some strawberry nutra-grain bars that she was sharing with Valkyrie and packed the trash into the bottom of her bag. She was NOT Pierre by any measure. "Well then, she burped softly with an excuse me followed by and stood up. Time to move." Picking up Excalibur and looked into the room where the stone dais portal laid in wait. Her first sketch of the placement of the ancient stones she had drawn before blown into a corner which ruffled softly against the wind. She was quiet for a moment.

"Thinking of your Mo…" Valkyrie started.

"No. This time of myself…" Lara finished before Valkyrie was left to assumption. "About me, for the first time since I can remember when, I am doing this for myself. It is very strange, almost alien to me to do something that I wanted to do personally. I have not done so since…" she thought back deeply "Before Larson approached me in Calcutta, India back in 1996 on behalf of Jacqueline Natla. I was doing it for sport, aimless, for self satisfaction…a degree of achievement if you will. I was searching for myself. After that…I was doing it for my father, or so I thought, then for my mother, and I have no chosen a path for the first time; for myself. This feels…." She looked at Valkyrie who was seemingly fascinated by Lara's tone and facial expressions. "Good." Lara nodded "It feels good. It may lead me back down or close to paths I walked before, but it is because I want to this time. I wanted to find out where the gods of Atlantis were. MY choice." Dusting off her rear and laughed a bit.

Valkyrie stood up beside her and took her shoulder firmly and nodded with a very relaxed smile. No words needed to prove that she understood what she was conveying. She felt the same exact feeling when Lara told her 'Obey me now, from this moment on all shackles are removed. You are a slave to no one.' She felt good too. "Let's give it a go then shall we?"

Lara smiled broadly and nodded "Yes. Let's do that." Patting her hand that rested on her shoulder appreciatively; Then Lara walked forward to the stone dais and repeated what she did so long ago, and in moments the room was full of movement again as the portal opened up. She saw Bolivia first! "Wait. This isn't it." Lara shook her head and moved a shard from one hole into another and then what she was looking for had now shown up. It was like a key, it was all in the placement apparently! "Let's go." She stepped through with guns at the ready.

Valkyrie was right behind Lara, guns drawn, and heart already ready for the action. As they came through the energy crackled and they landed on their feet. The portal closing immediately behind them which Lara by now was all to use to being sealed in to one are or another. Valkyrie looked around and smirked "This is it, where my own trial truly began; Helping Natla home, then ending her there just the same. This is surely shocking isn't it?" she was amused to see thralls already popping out of the eitr and running towards them. Valkyrie was able to fire off two shots before Lara held out a hand to stop her fun. "What?" she asked disappointedly at the ending of her fun which didn't even start yet.

"If you keep shooting them all, I will have to wait longer for servants." She smiled and then turned away from her and spoke aloud to the yeti thrall that Valkyrie was shooting "Ok Eshivar!" she commanded and the thrall knelt down and lowered its head. "Bring me Thor's Hammer. Quickly. Tie this rope around it so you can drag it, you cannot pick it up." The thrall stood up and ran as fast as it could and dove into the ocean of eitr below. The tattered ruins of the Midgard Serpent was sticking out of it helplessly as a broken memory of Lara's handy work. Lara had just taken out the gloves and belt from her pack and were about to put them on before she stopped and went still. She was still for quite some time before she turned around and looked at Valkyrie. "You are my twin…so it will work, I am sure it will actually. Put these on." She nodded pleadingly "It will make me happy."

Valkyrie was concerned for a moment before Lara became animated again and now she was floored by what Lara was asking her to do! "But that's…"

Lara shook her head, "What this is? Is YOURS." She smiled gently and walked over to Valkyrie "Please take them."

Valkyrie sighed softly and she wondered what this feeling inside her chest was, she did as asked and placed the belt on and the gloves which fit perfectly as expected. They started glowing the lovely blue illuminating her veined skin in a most beautiful way, her sanguine hair hanging about her shoulders, she looked truly like a Valkyrie, so much so it nearly made Lara's eyes well up with tears of awe.

"You are so beautiful." She touched the side of Valkyrie's face.

Valkyrie shook her head at her words and moved Lara's hand down from her face gently and made her touch her own "No, I am only **you** Lara. You are just now realizing your own beauty." She then returned a nod of her own. She would let Lara ponder on that as she would watch the thrall vanish deeper in the eitr. She looked down at her own waist and hands, she never had much time before to admire how unique and radiating these were while Lara wore them. They were in fact exemplarily, no, they were magnificent!

Lara remained quiet for some time yet again and shook her head. That was what it would feel like to have a sister, for that moment, a true twin would say such a thing. She resigned on this and watched Valkyrie admire her new attire. It was the very hammer she tried to use on Valkyrie and failed just as she did with her guns. This felt right, she did not know why, but it did. She was elated when the thrall jumped back out the eitr dragging her hammer by the rope and then she pointed to Valkyrie "Give it to her." Which the thrall changed paths instantly and presented the hammer to Valkyrie.

Valkyrie bent down and un-wrapped the rope the thrall lopped around it and took the hammer raising it above her head as she stood just as Lara did once she held it for the first time. The magnificent display of blackened clouds and lightening crackled around her body as it recognized its new master. Without a moment hesitation she turned the hammer on the thrall and swung it sending it flying into a spiral back in the eitr pit to test its power. "That was….._**lovely**_." she said darkly with almost a shiver in her voice.

Lara did not stop Valkyrie for she herself tested it on Amanda's ship against her mercenaries. It did fell great to use, but she had grown rather attached to Excalibur and decided to use that from now on. In some ways, she felt that her mother had given her this sword personally. It started it all, and she would want to be buried with it when it all ends for her. "Now, we can get a move on. Our next stop is going to be in Japan, an old friend has some info for me that I just cannot wait to hear from his lips. He has exemplary contacts and resources." Walking back toward the stone dais where they came from. She then followed Valkyrie to the path that she used to before to escort Natla out.

~~Later

On the surface Lara used her headset and said "Zip."

Valkyrie echoed her softly "Zippity doo dah, Zippity aye, My oh my what a wonderful day, Plenty of sunshine ,coming my way, Zippity doo dah, Zippity aye."

Lara took in a rather large breath and released it as calmly as she could while her shoulders shook. In her earpiece _'That gal needs some damn home training. Therapy even, preferably 'shock' therapy. Anyways are you about to get in there to get the hammer now?" he heard her sing that damned song and was not amused. _Lara laughed softly "We need a pick up, we got what we came for." _'Got it already?! You mean I missed everything?! Oh damn it Lara! I wanted to see!' _"Oh stop pouting Zip." She winked at Valkyrie. "You men always try to have a reason to see things we women don't want you to." She smiled when she heard Zip's go silent and then spoke again "Have someone come pick up my remaining motorcycle please, and don't ask about the other one. Just have it picked up and my Navigator would you? I am so looking forward to Japan and my old friend. Are things coming along as planned? Were you able to find out what Amanda is up to?"

Zip laughed at Croft manor and flicked his dreads with his left index finger and sat back in his office chair "Sure did. You are not going to **believe** this." He chuckled heartedly. "That bitch?_ She_ has been BUSY."

_**End Chapter 8**_

**AN**: Hope you liked this chapter, it is only the beginning of the teamwork that Lara and Valkyrie will be doing. Next chapter, what the hell _HAS_ Amanda been doing during all of this? You will see!


	9. Chapter 9

**Disclaimer:** I do not own anything in regards to the Tomb Raider franchise. Alas, this is a pity… this story is for the utter amusement, entertainment, and bewilderment of the fans who appreciate Lara as being one of the best games in the world! The only thing hotter than Lara in my book is Batgirl, and the only thing hotter than them both is the sun, a supernova, or Icy hot placed on your back that drips down over time from the heat of the day to your backside. OW! (**NOTE:** Do _**NOT**_ put it on too heavy! _More_ does not make it work better!) :-/ So the score is:

ICY HOT **1** – Batman **0**

**Author Notes:** I like getting into the part of the characters that you do not see. What happens 'in between' Lara's excursions? How does she interact with the people in her life when it is not over her headset? Read on and (hopefully enjoy my imagination). Love it or hate it, it's up to you to decide.

AN: If you see me using these marks **//** _text_** //** that is something that was said before in a prior chapter.

**Chapter Nine:** First Oath "The punishment of bringing taint or ridicule to my name and lineage will be Legendary!"

_During Rebirth:_

Paris, France was pleasantly warm today as she rode in the back of her limo. The sun was shimmering from above and the statues that were perfectly placed on the streets and parks gave to make a beautiful romantic atmosphere. This is where she was next, just arrived two days ago was Amanda Evert, the woman who was manipulated by Jacqueline Natla from day one, from false promises and ideas of Avalon, to how Lara killed her lover and partner James Rutland. Amanda was emotional, strong willed, and now in current days and times, cold hearted. Amanda did not see how Natla was going to use her, but she did know how Nalta felt about Lara and she used that herself against her. She found Natla, pieced her back together with her technology and made a deal with Natla, the goddess of Atlantis. The deal was that if she would restore her body in whole, that Natla not only assist Amanda in killing Lara Croft, but she also asked if she could be Natla's 50-50 business partner. In Natla's demise recently to Lara and the Doppelganger. Amanda had assumed full entitlement to head CEO of Natla Industries.

"I'll expect no less, make it so." Amanda snapped her cell phone shut and stared out the tinted window. She was making all kinds of business arrangements, dealings, and making plans for more business' to open all over the world. She knew Natla Technologies was a large conglomerate, but she never knew how huge and powerful it truly was until she obtained it. Her legs were crossed as she sat in her seat wearing a thin stripped business suit with a v- jacket, and a silk sleeveless blouse underneath with a silver necklace that James had given her before she died. Her silver hair was straight and orderly, compared to the mind that it belonged to it made her seem rather confident, but that was not the case with Amanda. She knew this, and she hated it. She lost control of so many things in her life in such a short amount of time. Left for dead by all of her remaining living friends in Peru, the man she loved was lost, and her dream of Avalon shattered, all single handedly done by one damn woman, Lara Croft! "Fucking damn it!" Amanda stomped the floor of her limo and threw her cell phone against the seat across from her as she now bit her casual leather gloved left index finger knuckle as she regained herself. "I hate that bitch, I really fucking HATE HER!" she hissed and sat back fighting the welling tears in her eyes. Her driver could not see her, the privacy window was up. She took deep breaths in attempt to control her rage, her make-up would run and that would be unbecoming since she was just now on her way to a business lunch. Just as they were pulling up to the building she would be eating at Amanda received a text from an unknown number that simply stated '_She has gone on with her life, she is in Greece as we speak, can it be said the same of you? I know your pain for I too have lost something to that wretched female. Interested? Then we should speak, come to Vienna, Austria. –End' _

"My lady, we have arrived." The driver snapped her out of her focus. He was standing there with the door open waiting patiently. He was a tall man with normal brown eyes and brown hair, and of all things his name was Justin Miner which actually didn't make him stand out at all. If Amanda would ever remember his name he would actually appreciate her more and consider her not a total bit—

"Bitter-sweet irony." Amanda said snapping her phone closed again as she got out of the limo and headed towards the restaurant. "Thank you Jeremiah, your last name is Simons isn't it?" and before her poor driver could answer she was already ignoring him and went back to her own thoughts. She considered something for a moment before entering and flipped the phone open and texted back 'I am interested, make no mistake. I'll have you killed on sight if this is a double cross in any shape or form.' And with that she snapped it shut and went inside. She had to wonder, what the hell WAS Lara doing in Greece? They still had unfinished business and since the Doppelganger and Natla were both dead, then no one stood in her way but Zip and the damned butler. She figured she would spend $8.20 give or take. That would be the cost of two sniper bullets that could penetrate their cranium from an unexpected distance. At any rate, dinner, then business, then pleasure. She honestly has never been to Vienna, Austria. She wondered what she would have to wear…..

_During Opening the Eyes:_

Vienna, Austria was extremely pleasant! The air was magnificent! Amanda stepped off her private jet wearing black tight leather pants and a blouse with three buttons clasped exposing her upper cleavage and all of her abdomen. Where Lara was conservative and modest, Amanda had no problem showing off her body. Amanda walked down the steps from her jet to a jet black Mercedes that awaited her. This driver looked much more attractive than Gerald Sinclair or whatever his name was that she left in Paris. This driver was tall and blonde with piercing blue eyes and white teeth that seemed to sparkle in the sun.

"Greetings madam, my name is Peter Reynolds, it is a pleasure to be your driver today!" he was admiring this beautiful creature that seemed to glow against the light of day. His heart was nearly at a stop from her beauty. He had to be mindful of his thoughts or he may get a stir that he would have no decent excuse for.

"What a very nice greeting! Thank you Walter! What a nice name that you have, Walter Rayne, I like that." She smiled and got into the back seat of the car.

He was already placing her bags in the trunk as his mouth fell agape for the second time in regards to Amanda, did she even listen to him when he said his name? "My name is Pet…." And that is when she closed the car door for privacy and started making phone calls to her hotel and sent texts to the mysterious person who texted her nearly twenty hours ago. He placed her bags into the trunk rather roughly, he was always lucky with the women, he was a good looker and he knew it! Peter the Playboy was what they called him, and now if his friends or ex-girlfriends saw him now they would call him Weak Peter. He got in and drove to the destination that she told him before he started the car.

She arrived to her hotel in two hours and slept in the rest of the day. The flight was horrid and she had not slept since the morning before her business meeting in Paris. She almost went into a coma of exhaustion, and did not wake up for more than meaningful things such as restroom needs or a snack. Into the next morning she was wide awake and had an air of perplexity and excitement. She texted the mystery number '_Where will we meet?_' and as she awaited a response she took this time to get a shower in and just as she stepped out and started toweling off did a reply come back '_In the lobby downstairs. I am looking forward to meeting you._' Amanda read it twice before it settled in that whoever this was knew where she was staying! "The fuck?" she frowned as she read the text and then quickly got dressed and made a call to her the mercenaries that she hired in the area with expertise in guns, assault rifles, and explosives. "Watch the bottom of the Austria Grand Hotel, make sure no one interferes with my interactions in the lobby." She had sent them all a picture of her own face so they knew who they were working for. Amanda then put on some white body tight stretch pants and black silken blouse that came low that shown the tattoos across her breasts and bell sleeves. She combed her silver hair down into the usual fashion and put on some knee high black leather boots, and lastly wore her wraith stone around her neck. "If this turns out bogus, then it will be your show Loki." She aptly named the unknown entity.

After coming down the elevator she looked around as she walked out and scanned the room for who would be seeking her. Three men smoking cigarettes looking over a brochure , an elderly couple checking in, a family checking out, two students that seemed to be traveling abroad for the summer, and the bellhop's that ran back and fourth. It was then that she saw a stunningly beautiful Austrian woman sitting at a table wearing a crimson sundress and pitch black sunglasses. Her hair was in cascading black curls, and although she was a thin woman, her curves were amazing. She had on black silken gloves and wore suede black heeled boots to match it. She also had a peculiar necklace around her neck that held Amanda's interest. It was hanging right in between her breasts. Amanda could not help but stare, the woman had bosom that made both her and Lara together look…inadequate. Amanda cleared her throat "I do not mean to stare, but is that a.." yeah, this woman was obviously well bred and a lady of indefinite standard.

"A monocle? Yes. That is exactly what it is. This belonged to my father actually." She looked down absently and stroked it between the index and thumb of her right hand. You do not know me, but I appreciate you coming all the way out here to meet with me. My name is Sonya Von Croy. My Father was Werner Von Croy, Lara Croft's teacher. There is a lot of…history between our two names, but the most importantly, is that she killed my father, and that as you Americans say, does not set well with me." She tilted her head as she gave Amanda a charming smile. "Still interested? If you are, will you join me for breakfast at my favorite restaurant? If you are not, I will be happy to go about my way, but you will not know about the journal's my father kept about her and her family…." She trailed off.

Amanda's understanding of opportunity knocking was one of the best. She was happy to know that through this woman's thick accent she was able to understand her English all too well. "I like my coffee black. You really _**do**_ know my pain." Amanda could not help but feel triumphant inwardly, she lost James, and this woman lost her father. Lara has enemies in high places, and she was thanking every god in known creation and religion for such enemies right now. "So….Sonya, are you blind? or are you just a Ray Charles fan?" looking at those pitch black glasses. Amanda did not trust anyone if she could not see their eyes.

Sonya smiled darkly and nodded "I can see just fine, let's just say that my vision was 'Set' (Sonya made a play on words) a long time ago. My father impregnated my mother with me during an….awkward time for him." Sonya smiled and took Amanda's hand and clasped fingers with her. "All in due time, but please allow me to tell you all of this later." and pulled a very surprised Amanda with her. This woman was bold, and she could not help but wonder what else Sonya was.

_During The Naming:_

Two months had passed since she met Sonya, and the two of them had gotten much over the trust issues between them. Sonya welcomed Amanda to stay in her home, and Sonya was also the one who opened up first, and told the tragic tale of a young Lara who left her father to die inside a tomb they were exploring. Then, she went on to explain how his heart was torn that his own student, his protégée, and disciple had ignored him when he found she was alive. How he toiled and ranted about her. Over the years Sonya confessed to great jealousy and resentment that he ever met her or heard the name Croft. Even Sonya, Werner's own daughter, was being outshined by a damn foreign British girl! The only person she had to admire her achievements coming up was her mother who had to give the attention of two parents. She went on to explain how he then started to distance himself in his own guilt and frustration as the years passed. How he went from sending a letter a week, to one a month, then to none at all, and ignored his family all together. Even in the end, he called for Lara to help him find some ancient paintings when he dealt with a man named Eckhardt. Not her mother who was broken hearted, not his daughter, but called LARA CROFT. Sonya's hands were tight and her toes tightened so hard that the very knuckles ached in her boots. Lara had broken her great father just by saying nothing to him at all! Lara accused him of leaving her to die, when she had left him first in the same damned predicament!

Amanda was enthralled by the story that she wove before her. If Natla was still alive even she would know that Amanda was enraptured by this tale of betrayal, deceit, and anguish by the way she stared focused on Sonya's every word. Just as she was when Natla spoke of Avalon and how Lara affected her own life as well. The thing is Natla lied through her teeth to make ends meet. Sonya wanted justice, even at the cost of staining her own hands with murder.

Sonya did not tell Amanda these things until after a month of gaining her trust. She too was in awe of Amanda's story, how Lara had killed her lover, destroyed her dream, and worst of all, before _**any **_of that, how she had left Amanda too for dead! Lara seemed to have a bad habit of doing this to people, or so it seems to Sonya at least. Leaving people for dead and not checking for them with whole body and soul efforts. The only two people she 'did' do this for was obviously her mother and father! "How selfish, she claims to have been hardened and found her self after being on her own in her youth, but all she found was a way to run from the world. How she does not want them to see her weak self, her heart which denies her own weaknesses to the public, instead she remains reclusive and out of the shine of the world's eyes." Sonya confirmed this after the two of them ate lunch together. She had made every journal that Werner wrote from the time he met Lara and her father, to when she was shipped every last one of his journals after his death. How upon reading these in her father's absence enraged her that he went through so much, when she and her mother was there the entire time! How they could have supported him! Sonya filled in blanks where Amanda shown confusion, she made light to Werner's thoughts that seemed too dark to figure out. Sonya provided answers to questions that Amanda had of her own life as well, if anything that Amanda had learned during her time in Vienna, Austria is that this woman was wise, strong, and confident. Amanda was also shocked to find out that she was conceived when Lara was in her twenties which would make Sonya 20 now! Lara and Amanda were in their early 30's themselves!

"There is no way you are twenty!" Amanda stared at the pitch black sunglasses of her face and now remembered what she wanted to ask so long ago "When are you going to show me your eyes?" she peered over the journal she was in the middle of as she awaited an answer.

Sonya giggled and crossed her legs underneath the black gothic like dress she wore. She smiled through her glasses at Amanda and held up her right hand. Just when Amanda thought she was reaching for her pitch black sunglasses, she started shaking her right index finger back and fourth very slowly in a most teasing manner. "In time, right now you still do not know all you need to know. When you have learned all that I know about Lara Croft, the people around her, and the things she has done. Then and _**only then**_ will I present my eyes to you."

Amanda sighed heavily and went back into Werner's journal and became engrossed again in his intelligent writings. In between this, and Sonya's detailed information, Amanda felt richer than any dollar she could spend. The company was refreshing, the conversations were always engrossing. This alarmed Amanda more than anything, because she was starting to like this woman! and that was not what she wanted. She wanted herself to get the information she needed, then leave after she got what she wanted! This was unexpected….

Sonya sipped her cinnamon tea and sighed. It was good to have someone to share a vision with, she could not wait to grow up, get her life together and plot her revenge. Her mother returned to her home town in northern Austria, they owned a summer home there near the sea. Her mother moved on with a man she did not approve of, and they split on even terms of understanding. She warned her step-father in private outside of her mother's ears that if he ever hurt her mother physically or emotionally, that she herself would put an end to him so abruptly that his brother, sister, mother, and father would feel it just because they were related. Of course this concerned him deeply and when he told the mother of her daughter's threat the mother pushed it off that she was still trying to heal after losing her father, and was worried that she would be hurt like a good daughter should look over their parent. Sonya reflected upon this only for a moment before she saw Amanda finishing the current journal.

Amanda finished the last journal at least for today and sat back rubbing her eyes and yawned. "That was yet another amazing read! He was a very well learned and knowledgeable man. His knowledge of ancient Egypt was as if he had lived there, and the way he described everything was anything short of amazing. There were a couple of artifacts that he mentioned that had me enthralled, and even left me very curious as to why they were truly created. What I am curious about now though, is how having me read all of his journals will help me unmake Lara…I am not following your perspective in that.

Sonya now finished her current cup of tea smiling triumphantly and nodded "A very fine question indeed, but the answer is within the read. Have you noticed how he went from various parts of the world, their ruins, artifacts, and how their early humanity seemed to be under one collective union? Well, that is where you have missed something. There were 20 journals involving his treks and footnotes, but you did not realize that out of the 33 you have now read the 25th, after those first 20 he started focusing only on Egypt. The 21st book to the 29th is all about Egypt. The 30th through the 33rd is about Paris, France and how he found Lara again, and when there are no more notes, is when he died." Here she smiled and sat forward on the edge of her chair staring intently at Amanda.

Amanda found herself frowning, she was right, now that she thought about it. He stopped trying to make connections to other countries between artifacts and the focus went only to what happened in Egypt, in particular the Egyptian god Horus! Amanda looked at her and realized how intently Sonya was staring at her through her sunglasses. She seemed to almost be posed in excitement! Amanda thought and a realization came to her "Your father wrote the journals until the 21st one…" Sonya nodded and Amanda continued "Then, when it went to Egypt and started involving the Egyptian god Set and Horus….that was way too detailed for someone to piece together from the current time. Your father confessed to thinking he was possessed…was it…" she was unsure how to even approach this, it sounded crazy! "You mean that the 22nd to the 29th is all what Set wrote?" Sonya nodded and Amanda's heart jumped in her chest "Oh my God….this is a direct communication of how he was trying to bring about the end of the world and how the prophecy was told and what his plans were. I suppose it will also go into how he was going to deal or when he DID deal with Lara." Sonya smiled more "Amanda's head was swimming with the possibilities and then she stared at Sonya "Your father was possessed….was your mother with you during this time?" Sonya giggled and nodded "_Yes, she was for one month, before he started scaring her because he was __**different**__." _Sonya said and then again silently signed for Amanda to go on as if begging her to continue. "Your father was possessed by Set when he laid with your mother…you are half human…and half…" looking at her with this almost piercing curiousness and fear that swelled in her stomach.

Sonya took her sunglasses with her right hand slowly and stared at Amanda revealing glowing red orbs that looked as if someone took a ruby and shown a flashlight through them constantly. Against her natural black outlined eyes and her ruby lips she looked like royalty in some kind of way. "Half Egyptian god?" she nodded once again and her lips took on this sinister grin. "As I told you Amanda, Lara Croft did in fact take my father away from me, what I did not tell you, was that she took **both** my father's from me. Sealed one away and broke the other ones spirit and will. My mother knew I was half human upon my birth, hell she had the doctor's killed that helped give me birth. She had me attend school as if I was blind all my life, I was a prodigy, and graduated when I was 14. I just finished college earlier this year and now am ready to see to my own desires. I have no intent of freeing Set, I love my world, but I am not above getting revenge for him, after all, he didn't kill my father, Werner Von Croy, and he could have. So I am grateful to him for that."

Amanda sat back and could not stop staring at Sonya, her skin broke into goose bumps and her heart was thumping heavily in her chest "Holy shit."

Sonya giggled and sat back as well clasping her fingers together in her own lap "Indeed, so go on now and finish reading the other journals. This is when you will find it utmost interest that the wraith stone you have become one with comes into play." She stood up smirked deviously "You wanted to know the origin of it right? I think you will be up very late and will be sleeping in tomorrow." Sonya laughed openly and walked off towards her own room after saying her goodnights to Amanda.

Amanda looked down at the last 8 journals and a new excitement entered her now. By the time got to book 31, she knew that her wraith was in fact a guardian of one of the ancient weapons, and each weapon had one it seemed. She was amazed to find that this wraith of hers was made in Egypt and was given to other countries for more power or sacrifices. She was no longer tired, and Sonya was right, it was a lovely night, she may have to sleep in tomorrow, mountain dew and coffee tonight…

_During the first Feeding:_

Amanda was shopping with Sonya, the two of them like Lara and Valkyrie were becoming nearly inseparable. Sonya shown Amanda her favorite shops, foods, and took her to her favorite places. Today, Sonya said it was time for a change. She had asked for her yacht and took Amanda out to see with her just for a nice sail on the lovely day. The yacht was extravagant! Amanda loved laying in the deck chair in her new two piece black bikini. It was only the two of them on the boat, Sonya was an excellent navigator. Amanda took this time to take off her top and enjoy the sun's rays on her bare breasts and back.

After setting the anchor Sonya made her way over to Amanda. Sonya was wearing a two piece as well. Her bottom was decorated with a sheer Hawaiian patterned wrap that blended colors like red, orange, blue, and green. Her top was just an under cup fashion that was black and green that matched her wrap and bikini bottom. She took the example and laid in the deck chair next to Amanda and stretched out after she removed her own top.

Amanda could not help but feel inadequate again and being the open person she was commented "When you breast feed your kids one day, they will damn near drown." She snickered.

She did not see the pitch black sunglasses look over at her slowly and stay there for a moment before they looked back towards the sky "And with all of the tattoo's across your body and especially your own breasts and belly, I think your child will get more **ink** than milk in their system. I would dare say that with as much ink you have on your body, it would be nothing short that your babies do not come out octopi with 8 arms and their own ink sacks." She giggled.

"Bitch." Amanda smiled.

"And you love me for it." She retorted. "But now it is time for a bit of business. I have gotten info from old friends that work in communications that Lara has made plans to go to China. I know which hotel she will be at, and what helicopter she has arranged to drop her off. For some reason she will be going to the Great Wall of China in particular. For what I do not know…." She cracked her ankles as she stretched and yawned. "The plans of travel were apparently made for two people. Do you think it is for fun? Maybe a man is involved?"

Amanda was listening intently. She did want to know what the hell Lara was up to now. "China…I do not know why she would go there, but I **do** want to know why. Shit! Lara and a man! Right…." Amanda hissed "I swear Lara must be a lesbian, she was friendly with the guys, but she seemed more interested in getting close to the girls. Anya, Rebecca, and I. She was around us more than them. If there is a guy with her it may be Zip, I cannot see the butler watch dog ever leaving the house. He is too well trained."

Sonya was quiet for a moment as she pondered on Amanda's response. "I see. Maybe she is, and I suppose that you have something against it? Lesbians I mean of course, because I am one myself. I hope this does not bother you. Oh yes, just so you know… there will be no breast feeding, and no drowning. I think I would adopt a child rather than have one." She smiled towards the sky.

"You are a lesbian?" Amanda said very softly. She was thinking 'oh my GOD, I would not have guessed that!' Amanda had mixed opinions about them. As a matter of fact she was both interested and intimidated by them. She had to ask though, "Um, so would you be the girl?" she said randomly.

"Pardon?" her thick Austrian accent shown confusion. "Are you referring to if I chose a woman, then she may be the one is more masculine? Good grief, the things that people assume." She shook her head. "No, I like soft _**beautiful**_ women. That is the point for me, nothing more nothing less. If I wanted masculinity, then I would date a male." She spoke with disgust. "Please, let us not talk of this today."

Amanda knew a period to a conversation when she heard it. She nodded, but could not help now feeling a bit exposed since she was topless, and she had already probably checked her out. 'Oh God….what the hell would I do if she made a move on me?' she swallowed her saliva nervously. Before? She would have whipped the first female ass she saw that would try to hit on her, then brand the initials of her name on their backside marking that she had been there. But this woman, Sonya was serious, wise, and it goes without saying 'no joke' and was just as deadly, if not more, as her self. She knew if she put her top back on now it would be an insult to her, even offensive that she did not trust her. The truth was Amanda did not know what to do. Then again, as she calmed down a bit, maybe Sonya had a girlfriend already. She was strikingly gorgeous after all! This would be a conversation for another day. She relaxed the best she could and enjoyed the sun, but she was sure she was not taking a damn nap at this point!

Sonya was a bit heated at the brief conversation. The world had their views on people with beliefs such as hers. Just when she thought she heard the most ignorant thing EVER, one more person shows up and surprises her again by matching or if not _**exceeding**_ the last ignorant person she met before that one. She thought Amanda was lovely, but not once did she think of her in 'that way'. This made her place walls up again, she could tell there was not the air of relax anymore between them. She wished she could take back what she said and kept her private life to herself. It came out so fluidly that she did not even think until after she admitted her preference. None the less, Amanda seemed no different and Sonya would be watchful from hence fourth. She herself thought about placing her own top on and steering the ship right back to shore, the day had a kind of sour sweet touch to it now. 'To hell with it, another day for this.' She thought and took a nap. She always felt better after one.

When Sonya awoke after 3 hours, Amanda was swimming in the ocean. She did place her top back on, which Sonya was happy of, because she did not need Amanda being stranger anymore than she noticed already. "I think we should head back. There are preparations to China that must be made." She called over the boat, she remained topless, to hell with what Amanda thought, she was comfortable and this was _her_ yacht.

"Right! I'm on my way!" Amanda called back as she swam towards the boat. Sonya's sudden voice surprised her, and he was in deep thought about the many things she had learned. As she climbed up the ladder to the deck she grabbed her towel and walked over to Sonya and leaned against the railing. "So, when do we leave? You have a plan already?"

Sonya had just pulled the anchor back up and started her yacht as Amanda asked. "Yes, I will have it arranged that there will be transportation tonight so you can get there the same day. I do not know what part of the wall she wants to visit, but you should be able to find her and figure out what she is up to. I will not be coming with you however."

Amanda stopped toweling her hair and stared at Sonya "Oh…. it's not because of.."

"_**That**_ would be infantile." She cut short her coming question "I do not care what your opinions are, nor am I concerned with whether or not you feel comfortable around me. My hospitality is still open to you. You are still welcome in my home. I am aiming at the same thing you are. The end of Lara Croft, but whether you realize it or not Amanda, you still care for her in some way shape or form. You see her as your enemy, but you also remember your friend. You saved her from her this Doppelganger entity and killed it right? You knew that you needed Lara to help you stop Natla, but you **did **save her. I do ask this however.." she set the course and now turned and faced Amanda and stared dead at her blue eyes with her own crimson ones. "If you decide to forgive her, do not forget that I **do **_**not **_forgive her. Please, if you change your mind, then walk away. I will finish it by myself, and you may have clear conscious. Stand in my way? I will miss you dearly. I have come to be quite fond of you. I truly have, but not in a sense that would make you uncomfortable with yourself or me. You will go with your mercenaries and see to what Lara is up to, but you will not kill her. That is for me. I will eagerly await your progress report." And with that she turned back around and steered the boat back to the harbor.

Amanda had to give her credit though, because Sonya was as straight forward as they came. She knew now Sonya was either put off, or **pissed**. She could find no words to say and it was silent all the way back. For the love of her though, she could not place this sore feeling in her chest. Then she realized it, she was not stupid, although she called herself that many times just now. Guilt, pure and utter fucking guilt. She felt as if she wronged her new friend in some kind of way, and she was not sure how to fix this. The fact that she was being sent ahead and she made clear she was staying home had Amanda kicking herself in the ass mentally. "Fuck." She whispered to herself as she bit on the knuckle of her right hand. As soon as they docked they were off and into the white Volvo that waited them to take them back home. Amanda could feel the cold, and wished to God that it would be because the air conditioning was on too high.

_During First Slumber:_

Amanda did find herself relieved that Sonya was talking to her again later that evening. Even it was about the trip and the other things she arranged. It was business, nothing more, nothing less. Sonya was very precise though, she was on top of how to get the guns into China. The men that she had Amanda send before she left as well so there would be no connection back to her if they were indeed killed or arrested. She had alibi for everything so Amanda's reputation and her own would not be stained. Amanda never thought THIS far ahead and realized she was never this careful either. She knew she had them look unremarkable which was deliberate. Little did she know that Lara remarked about this habit and figured her men out just upon a first glance during an adventure once before. Sonya stood in her doorway as Amanda was heading to the car and just as she was getting in she welled up enough confidence to apologize. She took a deep breath and looked back "I'm…" Sonya had waved and closed her door, and was already making phone calls. "I'm…oh damn-nation!" she got into the back seat and slammed the door "Damn! Dammit! DAMN!" she stomped her foot on the flooring and punched the seat in front of her. She leaned forward and placed her hands to her face and groaned deeply in rage at herself "The fuck!" she cursed through her hands.

The driver was watching her in the rear view mirror, for it was not a limo with a privacy window, but a standard driver in the business of transport to airports and recreation resorts. "Hey, Miss? Are you alright back there?" he was of course worried, why did he have to have the crazy bitch in his car today?

"Look." She spoke through her hands but he saw the glint of a hard blue eye staring through the top of her fingers "Start the fucking car, drive the fucking car to the airport, shut your fucking mouth, then fuck off."

His eyes widened and his ears flared at her direct insults and curses. He started the car, drove her to the airport, said not once word the entire way, gave her bags to her, got in, peeled off, and said "I dropped the fuck _off_ is more like it." He spoke between gritted teeth. His day ended badly, he went straight home to his best friend Jack Daniels and would spend the evening with that bottle and some reggae. This Austrian had a soft spot for it after all.

Amanda's ride to China on her jet was not a joyous one. She was mad as hell, she tried to watch television, listen to music, read, sleep, and none of this seemed to work. When she did arrive to China, she checked into her hotel, checked her e-mails for work and to see if Sonya provided any updates, which she didn't. Amanda took a shower and changed clothes. She called the head mercenary and told him to keep an eye out on various parts of the great wall. When he saw a helicopter or caught site of Lara he would call her immediately. She hung up and two hours later she got the expected phone call.

"She just dropped off with some other woman. They are already climbing the wall."

"Standby, I am almost there." She hung up her cell phone. Amanda was a bit perplexed right now. Who the hell did Lara have with her? Lara was a loner by nature! Why does she have help now? Not unless she needs a guide for some Chinese relation. When she arrived, she got out and walked over to the men wearing pitch her black jeans and a black halter top with a black leather jacket that came down to just above her waist line. She walked over to the main mercenary and nodded "What's the status?" taking his offered binoculars and shown her their position. She looked that way and saw Lara and…"You gotta be fucking kidding me!" she lowered the binoculars and then raised them again "What the hell is the Doppelganger doing with Lara? I thought I killed that bitch for one! For two, why is she standing RIGHT beside her and not choking Lara to death?" she lowered them and slapped her forehead. "Un-fucking-believable!" she was still out of sorts because of the situation with Sonya. This on top of it was _**not**_ a good thing!

The mercenary named Judas looked at his men and then back to her. This bitch had more issues than the morning newspaper. "This going to be a problem?" he asked dryly. He would just shoot the dame if she wanted him to, he was old school. There was nothing that he could not handle, but his mind might change after today.

"The problem is that one Lara was not bad enough, but now we kind of have two of the bitches!" she slammed the binoculars down and paced back and fourth. She was getting herself together. She took out the reach mic, a device that most FBI agents use to point and listen to a conversation at a distance, and picked the surprisingly unbroken binoculars up and watched and listened to them. She over heard them talking between each other:

**//**Lara nodded and clucked her tongue "Well, okay. The next question is 'did Amanda listen to her?' I mean '_really_' Valkyrie. Amanda really can be _impossible_ to get through to sometimes." She flicked her loose pony tail over her shoulder, and started walking ahead as she adjusted her black fingerless gloves.

Valkyrie snorted once and answered "Not a **word** of Natla's was heard. As a matter of fact…" she was walking after Lara now keeping her eyes moving across the terrain for any signs that their position was given away "Amanda told Natla in retort '_Yes, well, that may be the case for one of Atlantis. Women can un-build a man through words or actions of passion. As long as you know how to keep a man's hands busy on __**you**__, __your__ visions or dreams will become __**his**__, and you are never told no.' _I do not think Natla appreciated it, she didn't speak to Amanda for three days." Here she smiled deviously as Lara replied.

"Ouch! Well, it's not to say that Amanda never knew how to use her natural assets. She was always rather good with the boys in our earlier days. I am _sure_ that Natla in all of her 'godly glory' was a bit taken back. Natla probably had become quite frigid over time of not having…._attention_." Lara cleared her throat and decided to leave that subject alone now, when you speak of another's sexual exploits it always leads back to your own. She had a bad feeling that Valkyrie would kind of _know _Lara's 'score' and would attribute it to some kind of flaw that Lara had which would put an abrupt end to her 'oh _so lovely_ day'.**//**

Amanda lowered the mic and binoculars, her eyes were wide open and her mouth was as well. Amanda did not even notice or feel her left eye twitching, nor did she realize that as she held the mic in her right hand her fist was tightening more on it with each word spoken between them. She broke it just now as she was standing there in shock "Those bitches….are…talking about me! I don't care what the fuck you gotta do! Shoot one of them tonight, or fill them both with bullets if you can!" she slammed both devices down and snapped her fingers for the men to ready themselves. They ran down up to the wall and as Lara and Doppelganger went down they followed exactly 20 minutes after. She had a smaller device and was listening to them, she now learned of what Lara was doing! The Dagger of Xian was a piece that was lost in history, and Lara had it! She could still get to Avalon with this! That only meant she had to steal it from Lara and any info that she could from her as well. She heard them firing guns, heard the wolves. "Let them clear it out first, she is good at making ways for me." She commanded the men. She was still enraged! Those bitches are all chummy now and of all the people to be talking about! Then Lara had to say she was always rather good with the boys! Was Lara calling her a whore!

Amanda and her men followed at a distance, it was not until she got to this room that she heard Lara talking to Zip about Thor, Arthur and the Xian Dragon? Then what was she doing looking for the gods of Atlantis? What the hell was Lara trying to find? Amanda and her men were unprepared for the light show that happened next, it blinded them all for a moment, they were all disoriented but made no sounds what so ever. One of her men had bloodshot eyes and one man was crying. She focused back on Lara and Doppelganger and thought a bit more. Then it finally hit her! Lara was trying to get into Avalon before her! That HAD to be it! She found some info that Natla did not tell her! "Oh no bitch, you are not taking it from me again!" she spoke but kicked herself in the ass mentally yet again, it seemed that the Doppelganger turned and looked over her shoulder. If she were not an emotional wreck all day behind Sonya and the shit that Lara and Doppelganger were talking about her! She would have been so much more careful!

**//**Valkyrie then spoke up "The unwanted guest has warranted others of the unwelcome nature."

Lara turned around "Hm? Oh bother." She said very casually as she snapped her camera closed and tucked it away. "Hello. I trust you have been enjoying the atmosphere of China's rich history?" she smiled coyly.

"Shut it Lara! To hell with the history of China!" several tactical armored men behind her aiming assault rifles at Lara and Valkyrie. "Give me the damn dagger bitch or this will get messy!" Amanda held her hand out demandingly "That is one of the pieces that will open the door to Avalon!"

Lara pouted in utter denial "Whatever do you mean? Are you still on this?" she remained smiling.

"Shut the HELL up! GIVE IT TO ME NOW!"**//**

_During the First Word "Obey Me"_

Amanda woke up with her head searing in pain! Her eyes started welling up with tears the minute she regained focus. The knot on her head was evidence that she had again met Lara Croft and ended up on the wrong end of her guns. She was in a room full of dead men and she was not without some kind of appreciation. Lara must have been damn near bullet riddled. She saw bandages and medi-kit shit all over the place where Lara must have been. The dumb assed men did a fine job of following her orders at least. She knew she heard Lara in pain even in the state she was left in "I hope they killed the bitch. Then again…..Sonya would have been pissed. I might have fucked up….damn it!" She stumbled to her feet and wiped at the blood that came from her head, Lara put it to her a good one "I am going to take only but so much more of this damn pistol whipping bullshit!" she hissed, raising her own voice hurt her head right now. "I hate Lara, I hate Lara, I HATE Lara…" she kept reciting to herself as she guided herself out leaning on the wall for support. She took a handgun from one of the dead men and made her way out the inner sanctum of the Xian Dragon room. "Lost the fucking dagger, lost to Lara, her twin….oh God….her twin. To make things even MORE interesting is that she wants revenge for me trying to kill HER! She started this shit! Ow! my head!" she cried and collapsed to her knees. "Bread and Butter my freaking head hurts!" she thought on what she just said, she had not said that since she was a child! Did Lara really knock her that senseless?

Amanda went back up to the Great Wall and sat down gasping for air against the cold night. She took out her cell phone and dialed Sonya's number. It rang six times before she heard the thick Austrian accent speaking English.

"Amanda?" she yawned as she sat up out her bed "What is it, were you successful?" there was a long silence and Sonya in her sleepy state sat up and really focused on listening to her. She heard sniffles and soft sobs. "Amanda? Are you crying? What happened?" she sat up abruptly. She was already thinking she was shot, or perhaps dying!

"Sonya, I'm sorry! I'm so sorry if I upset you!" she choked a few sobs again "Please don't be upset with me, I cannot do this alone! I'm…I fucked up….**again**…..she got the dagger…oh god!" she balled again, she was frustrated and furious beyond even being able to control herself. "The dagger….of Xian….she needs…sob… to get into Avalon…take…dream…sob…again….hate her so much!" she cried aloud.

Sonya was in a mixture of shock and perplexity, what the hell was going on with Amanda? The more she spoke she had already now figured Lara had bested her again. Then when she apologized she felt her own eyes well up, was she upset about **that** all this time? "Amanda, please stop crying. I'm on my way. I'll come pick you up. Can you make it back to your hotel?" she was already getting out of bed and choosing something to wear.

"I can…make it…sob…I'm so sorry….I.."

"Shhhhh be at peace Amanda. I forgive you. Do you hear me? I _forgive_ you." Another long pause, Sonya thought she lost signal or Amanda passed out from exhaustion. Or worse, was she shot, or bleeding to death? "Amanda? AMANDA? Are you hurt?" and once again there was silence, she heard her still sobbing but it was softer this time. She calmed herself and asked again softly in deep concern "Amanda?"

"Thank you." She whispered so softly that unless you were right next to her you would not hear.

Sonya stopped in her tracks, she was heading downstairs putting her leather coat on as she carried her matching leather boots. The thank you in Amanda's voice was so sincere that she felt her eyes well up again, and now it was her who was silent before she spoke "You are so very…welcome." She smiled and felt a tear fall down her own cheek "I am coming. Go to your hotel, I will be there for you by this afternoon."

"I'm waiting. Thanks…" Amanda staggered to her feet and walked off no longer wiping at the tears that rolled down her cheeks. She walked down the way she came from the wall and back to the car she had to come pick her up. She got in and just held the phone against her face, content to hear Sonya's voice.

Sonya, again perplexed asked "Thanks for what now?" Amanda was really on a roll with keeping Sonya guessing tonight!

"For being my friend." She replied. 'It means a lot to me."

The next afternoon Sonya came straight to Amanda's hotel after leaving the airport. She got up to her room and knocked persistently with worry. "Amanda, are you here?" she asked through the door, her pitch black sunglasses contrasting against the hotel hallway.

The door moved open slowly and Amanda stood there wearing black dress slacks and a white long sleeved shirt that had two buttons in the middle clasped. "Thanks for coming." She sounded rested and she had obviously taken a shower to calm down. Without another word she stepped forward and hugged Sonya tightly, wrapping her arms around her lower back and burying her face into her neck. Sonya felt her own neck start getting wet. She knew Amanda was crying again. "I am so frustrated, how could I fuck up so much shit. She doesn't even take me seriously… I hate that bitch! BOTH of them!" she took a deep breath and sobbed softly.

Sonya smiled now, she was here this time. Amanda was not alone and Sonya was delighted that her friendship meant so much to Amanda. She thought on this all the way there. How Amanda seemed so upset, she must have suffered the entire time, had this on her mind all along. No wonder Lara was able to thwart her so easily, she was unbalanced. Sonya sighed and brought her left hand up behind Amanda's neck and stroked it caringly and then her right arm wrapped around her upper back holding her in return. "Shhhhh You are so very welcome. Do not let her worry you any longer. You are not alone this time, when you see Lara Croft and this…Doppelganger again. I will be there with you this time. I take my friends very seriously, and it is time now that she begins to as well. Lara Croft, will have no choice but to do so. This, I assure you." She walked Amanda into the room and closed the door as they went it and sat next to her on the foot of the bed. "Now tell me everything that happened." She encouraged patiently.

When Sonya heard it all she was none too happy about it all herself! Lara used her emotional distress to offset her and made it work to her advantage! What a despicable woman! Then when she learned of this doppelganger she was a bit concerned of how it moved and how strong it was. She was going to have to get a weapon that could protect them from this demon twin of Lara's. That much was for certain. She checked Amanda out of her hotel and together they went back home. Amanda was once again treated to breakfast, lunch, and dinner as she was before she left and they returned home. Their friendship was once again whole, Sonya still had a wall up, but it was wavering currently. She was seeing a side that many did not get a chance to see of Amanda. She was soaking it all in and relishing in it, she could not help but do so.

"Do you feel better now?" Sonya asked later that evening as they sat on the patio having sun tea and some delicious cinnamon biscuits with raisins in them. "Please help yourself to more tea and desserts. We will do many exercises so you do not have to worry about the American Girl Lament of having…how do you say? Ghetto…Booty?"

Amanda's eyes popped wide open and she choked on her tea. She sputtered with her coughs and grabbed a nearby napkin and held it against her mouth. "Oh my GOD! No the hell you didn't!" she started going into a hysterical laughter, and she held both her own sides she laughed so heartedly. "Ghetto Booty…..oh my goodness!" she giggled. "No, NO I do _**NOT**_ want 'Ghetto Booty'. You are right!" she fanned herself with a book and leaned back still laughing here and there. Sonya's thick accent and soft voice were sexy, but her saying that was FUNNY! "You are cracking me up…" she drank her tea again.

Sonya was concerned that she caused offense at first, and then she relaxed when she saw that Amanda was laughing. She did not see what was so funny, she was serious! She would die if she had the American ghetto booty! It would be horrible even! "I am glad **you **find it funny, I however would **not**. Hmph!" she shook her head and crossed her legs turning her nose up.

Amanda was happy, she was really happy. She loved Sonya's company and for it all she kind of understood what Lara was doing working with Doppelganger. She had no idea what relationship they had, but if it felt like this right now? She would find herself agreeing with Lara on at least that. Now this? THIS would make them even. "So, what now? Any word about what Lara is doing?"

Sonya looked at her again and shook her head "No, nothing since she went back to England." She sighed "But, when she does make a move we will know. In the mean time, you and I will be making a trip to Cairo, Egypt." She sipped her tea ignoring the strong look of curiousness on Amanda's face now. "We will have to find a particular Ankh of Anubis she nodded more to herself than to Amanda. "Without that, the Doppelganger will make short work of us."

Amanda sat forward "What will this artifact do for us against her?"

"It will allow us to call upon one warrior from his army to assist us. It will be a servant that will put good use to his dual hooked swords. That will keep 'it' –referring to the Doppelganger- busy." She raised her left brow at Amanda as she played with her tea cup. "You think this will help us? I think you would benefit if we had it fight next to your wraith."

"You are amazing…" she sat back and laughed in disbelief "You know where it is?" she laughed again a little more joyfully, "Of course you know! Your knowledge of Egypt was your father's! Then of course you know because of the journals as well!"

Sonya nodded appreciatively "Well done Amanda, as I figured you would. You have gained much wisdom from my father's teachings. You will benefit to great ends before this adventure is done. How about we leave for Egypt the day after tomorrow?"

Amanda nodded and ate another dessert "Well, I can eat plenty of these now. There in that damned heat, if I were to get a ghetto booty I could at least sweat it off." She smirked at her own humor.

Sonya rolled her eyes and stood up preparing to go to the market for dinner later "Or you could just go topless." And left towards the kitchen on that note to take inventory of what she needed to buy.

Amanda sat there very quietly and said not a damn word. "………"

_During Crawling:_

Cairo, Egypt was exactly what Amanda expected it to be. Noisy and really thick pollution filled the air. Her ears were thumping, her nose was burning, and her head was swimming. She was walking to the right of Sonya, they had only been here about two days and already Amanda was anxious to leave. The people were abundant, she told Sonya she would not be disappointed if sight seeing was skipped. Amanda kept a bag full of bottled waters, and she was sweating like crazy already. She wore some really short jean shorts blue in color, and a white sleeveless button up shirt that was tied at the bottom to allow for her belly to air, and her bra to show. She was not receiving pleasant looks from the men and women, they spoke insults to her, and she gave a finger gesture back in return. Sonya would smack her hand as she did this and tell Amanda to stop it. Amanda would listen, but she was suffering, if it was not for such an important cause she would say 'let's pay someone to bring this to us.' And be done with this shit already.

Sonya had arranged for a personal driver, she spoke expertly in Egyptian and told the driver where she wanted to be, what time, and in what sequence she wanted to go about doing her travels. She sat back and patted Amanda's hand comfortingly. "Relax, if we are lucky, we will be leaving here by 8:00pm. Then you can be at peace, this does not bother me. I feel….energetic if anything." Sonya admitted, Egypt was half of her home as Austria was the other. Their first destination was not a hotel, but The Egyptian Museum of Antiquities in Cairo. She decided to take Amanda's mind off the surroundings with conversation. "Did you know? The Egyptian Museum of Antiquities contains many important pieces of ancient Egyptian history. It houses the world's largest collection of Pharaonic antiquities, and many treasures of King Tutankhamen. The Egyptian government established the museum, built in 1835 near the Ezbekeyah Garden. The museum soon moved to Boulaq in 1858 because the original building was getting to be too small to hold all of the artifacts. In 1855, shortly after the artifacts were moved, Duke Maximilian of Austria.." here she smiled with pride. "… was given all of the artifacts. He hired a French architect to design and construct a new museum for the antiquities. The new building was to be constructed on the bank of the Nile River in Boulaq. In 1878, after the museum was completed for some time, it suffered some irreversible damage; a flood of the Nile River caused the antiquities to be relocated to another museum, in Giza. The artifacts remained there until 1902 when they were moved, for the last time to the current museum in Tahrir Square."

Amanda was transfixed on this information, parts of it she knew from her classes in university, but this was expert advice from Sonya's lips. "Damn, that is a lot of shit that went on in a length of time. I have never been here myself so I have not seen the museums with my own eyes. That is where we are going first right? What is it like?"

Sonya knew she had Amanda's focus now on her instead of the environment "Well, There are two main floors of the museum, the ground floor and the first floor. On the ground floor there is an extensive collection of papyrus and coins used in the Ancient world. The numerous pieces of papyrus are generally small fragments, due to their decay over the past two millennia. Several languages are found on these pieces, including Greek, Latin, Arabic, and the Ancient Egyptian writing language of hieroglyphs. The coins found on this floor are made of many different elements, including gold, silver, and bronze. The coins are not only Egyptian, but also Greek, Roman, and Islamic, which has helped historians research the history of Ancient Egyptian trade. Also on the ground floor are artifacts from the New Kingdom, the time period between 1550 BC. These artifacts are generally larger than items created in earlier centuries. Those items include statues, tables, and coffins. On the first floor there are artifacts from the final two dynasties of Ancient Egypt, including items from the tombs of the Pharaohs Thutmosis III, Thutmosis IV, Amenophis II, Hatshepsut, and Maherpen, and also many artifacts taken from the Valley of the Kings. What we are searching for is on display for only two more days though." She was making reference of the Ankh of Anubis.

Amanda nodded and crossed her legs "A limited time only kind of deal hm? How will we get…" looked towards the driver in the front seat "to SEE it?" she smirked.

Sonya snickered and sighed at Amanda's bold and dangerous way of playing. If this driver knew what they were there to do, he could have the police there on them ASAP. She played along though, but on her terms "We will take a close look, and play around the museum for 10 or so minutes. Then we will travel quickly to see a pyramid, then, back to the airport before our pass runs out." She smirked and looked out the window.

Amanda found herself laughing inwardly at her wit. That meant they were going to find it after hours, take their time and steal it. Get out of the museum quickly and take out the guards as they do. 10 minutes, that meant limited guards, and she already knew how they were going to leave with haste. Then get the hell onto the plane before they are found out and wore out their welcome. 'Sneaky…..I _**LIKE**_it!' she thought to herself.

They arrived to the museum and got out, joined a tour group to learn the lay out of the floors and then after hours broke back in. Amanda used her wraith stone to summon Loki and had it phase through the doors and smash the alarm box. Sonya used some weird magic which made the doors open up quietly and walked in. Sonya was wearing a long black thin strapped evening dress, black heels, and a long black leather trench coat for the cool evening. The monocle bounced vibrantly between her bosoms as she walked with her hands in her pockets. Her pitch black sunglasses looked back and fourth. Guards heard the alarm box being smashed and came to investigate. Sonya took a hand out and flung a plain dagger which planted itself right into his heart. His knees buckled inwardly and he fell onto his face driving the dagger deeper with his body weight.

Amanda used Loki to snatch the next two guards and smash them together. She smiled as she watched her wraith partner do his thing. She then watched Sonya use her right hand and snap her fingers, a golden flaming sphere of energy left her right hand after doing so and enveloped the last guard sending him bursting into crackling light which also illuminated the area they were going to, yes, Sonya did a two for one. Sonya's left hand turned into a black liquid like state and went through the glass case and took the amulet. She examined it for a moment and nodded over to Amanda that they had what they were looking for and made their departure.

Amanda was walking right beside her, and she was wearing a black body tight cat suit. The zipper was half down, she enjoyed being daring and was strutting in high heeled boots that clicked with the grace of her swaying hips. "Damn, you make this shit easy." She smiled as she got into Sonya's midnight black Mercedes-Benz SLR Mclaren, she was the driver, Sonya was in the passenger side. Amanda gripped the wheel and shivered "I could fuck this car it's so hot." As she reached down for the stick shift and started it. The engine purred, it was made for speed, and she was going to prove it tonight. The car did a perfect donut as she peeled off and went down towards the street.

"Change of plans, go towards the desert. The streets are too congested, and I just received a text that the airports are on some sort of delay. Hit the desert and we will go to the pyramid here." pointing to the G.P.S. that she just programmed "I would like to pay my respects." She said thoughtfully.

Amanda asked no questions, she turned the car towards the sand and floored it. "Oh God….." Amanda muttered as her breathing became heavier as the engine kicked the car into faster speeds.

Sonya frowned and looked to her left at her "If you are afraid of high speeds, then slow down." She watched Amanda shift in her seat and then found her self smirking "Oh. That's what's wrong with you. You like my car do you?" she giggled and cleared her throat pointedly at her.

Amanda nodded quickly and said nothing, this car and her were having sex and Amanda was on top! She was going to enjoy it while she was behind the wheel, in control. All she could say though "This car is good…." She spoke just above a whisper "Oh…." It seems Amanda had a weakness for hot foreign exotic cars and she seemed to love speed. "God…..ohhhhhh"

Sonya was smiling ear to ear "I am glad you are wearing a cat suit. If you were not, my seat would be just a mess."

"Shut up." Amanda spoke through half fluttering eyes and as she pulled up to the desired pyramid she leaned back in the seat and wiped the sweat off her brows as she still breathed heavily as her body convulsed a few times.

"Americans…" Sonya said and got out. She walked over to the pyramid and stood there in silence for a long period of time. This is where things for Set started going wrong, what lead he and her father Werner to meet. The path that started so long ago in Angkor Wat, Cambodia, and ended in the Pyramid of Horus. "Father….I will make her suffer." After a few more moments she came back to the car to a more relaxed Amanda and Sonya got back in and closed the door. She was staring straight ahead and then looked over to her left "Maybe I should drive?"

"Like _**HELL**_ you will!" Amanda laughed and gripped the steering wheel "He was just saying how much he loved me! he was just asking for my number when you came back." She winked. "He told me you never gave him this much of a workout." She sneered and started the car.

Sonya's ruby lips curved into her own sneer and tapped her chin with her left index finger thoughtfully "Yes, but you know….I think you forgot something. I am a lesbian. What makes you think I would make this car male? HER name is Lotus, because like the flower, she is gentle and soft to my fingers. So….tell me now. You two were very intimate all the way here, so ___**she**_ was about to ask for your number am I correct? NOW, how was _**she**_?"

Amanda leaned forward and placed her head on the steering wheel and could not fight the burning blush of her cheeks, ears, and neck. The scar on her cheek turned white and her hands remained firm on the wheel as she sat there in silence.

Sonya reached over and rubbed Amanda's right knee up to her thigh twice in two long strokes and then patted it her mid thigh. "I will give you some time. This was the first time you were with a woman after all." She snickered.

"Oh God…." Amanda whimpered in utter embarrassment. This was just _**too**_ much.

_Later_

Amanda and Sonya arrived now in Greece and made their way to St. Francis's Folly as where Lara started this new adventure. Sonya had once again tracked Lara's expense records over the last few months and found that she was having all kinds of stuff shipped her to this location a few months ago. Sonya brought the Ankh of Anubis with them, it was cursed and its power was sealed away. In order to make it work again she had to break the curse on it by purification. Amanda did not know why they needed to come here, but she was more than curious as to see what was on Sonya's mind.

"So…" Amanda spoke up and rested her hands on her hips. "We are here because? Looking for notes that Lara left perhaps?" she blew the hair from her face and sighed.

"No, we are here to pay a visit to an old an ancient king actually. The only way to get this curse broken is to have the golden ankh melted down and remade. I do not have the resources or the understanding of how Anubis did this and neither did Set, but the next best thing aside from melting it down and making it again is just having Midas make it gold again, kind of like a rebirth. That may give us the edge we need, and 'that' is where we are here."

_During First Emotion…__**RAGE**__ "Battle Cry from the Heart of a toddler":_

Sonya was wearing white stretch pants, a black v-cut blouse with bell sleeves and knee high black boots. Her black curly hair was pulled back and worn in an Asian twist with ornamental sticks in it. Wisps of curly hair danced at both sides of her face, she was not wearing her sunglasses down here. She knew there would be no one here to meet them, and from what she understood, Lara would be in Nepal right about now. Sonya was just going down the stairwell, and starting to make her way through the Coliseum. Midas Palace would be the next location if her informant was correct. The Coliseum was amazing! The architecture was still standing up even after all these years! There were dried bones gorillas and what looked like Lions. "Looks like Ms. Croft, was in fact here quite a long time ago, and then recently as well. She must have been reminiscing as of late."

"Yeah, it does kind of smell like 'bitch' here." She rolled her eyes as she walked up the tall steps of the Coliseum "How in the hell did she get through here? She must have done that monkey climbing shit with her grappling hook thingie! I wish she would one day miss whatever she was aiming at and fall straight to the bottom of the ravine she was trying to get across!"

"Be careful what you wish for, sometime wishes come true Amanda." Sonya said casually as she looked at what was now before them. She used her magic to allow them to float across the great distances since the same tools Lara would use were not in their daily means. Sonya got to the box seating at the furthest point and walked down the stairwell into Midas Palace. "I think we found the ancient king of alchemy.." she smiled and looked at Amanda.

Amanda's mouth was wide open, to think that Lara went through here and said nothing about this great find! Amanda thought about a billion things she could turn to gold and live the life of a Queen herself, but as they approached the statue she noticed that his hand was broken off away from his body, and she noticed the four gold bars that Lara must have left there long ago to gain access into the deeper parts of the area. "This is amazing…" she said softly in awe.

"Not particularly." Sonya added "You know that he was gifted with turning everything he touched to gold, and this is his Palace. However, have you noticed that this entire Palace is made of stone and so is he? That symbolizes a great deal in its own right." She sighed and shook her head in pity of him "He was a fool, for the love of gold, he lost what made him rich. The ability to live and breath, and he apparently died alone. The statue has him sitting in an empty room alone, no golden statues around him, no stone ones either for that matter. This would also show his greed and the inability to share his wealth. He obviously trusted no one, so alone is how he spent his life until he himself had his own gift turn on him. The broken hand? That is probably how he tried to end his own curse, he was alone, realized it was not a gift….but a curse. He tried to end it, and my guess is that after cutting off his own hand he probably picked it up to throw it away, thus how he himself turned to gold. This statue is a marker of his own defeat to himself and to silently warn others of their own greed. Be careful Amanda, I know you have thousands of ideas, but everything that glitters.." and held up her right hand and spun her index finger in circular motions regarding the entire room made of stone. "Is not gold…." And with that point made she walked over and tossed the gold ankh on the severed hand and it jumped twice before going still. The ankh pulsated twice and then the red jewels in it began to glow. "It worked." She smiled and used her magic to bring it over to her, she was not going to get near that hand, and she did not like it or this Palace.

Amanda was staring at the back of Sonya's head as she spoke the thoughts of her mind, and after thinking about it she found that it kind of made sense, way too much sense. Even if Sonya was wrong and this was just made to send another message, her interpretation was much more involving and powerful. She looked at the four gold blocks Lara left here long ago that were still fitted in place around the statue. She then looked at the water pool in the middle of the room and found herself laughing softly "You are wise, so wise." She smiled and looked over at Sonya who was watching her in her thoughts. Amanda must have been thinking a lot, Sonya was standing there patiently near the exit where they came in. "Sorry about that."

"No worries, but it is time for us to make our next move. I have it on good authority that a piece of what you may need called the Pendragon Stone is in an ancient shrine in Kyoto, Japan. The Japanese call it the Oni stone –Oni means devil-. This stone is supposedly the key to get you into Avalon. I will help you get your dream Amanda, and I will send you to Avalon. You will not be denied your heart's desire any longer if I can help it. I do not know what other devices would be needed, but we will see to it that we acquire them." She smiled earnestly and nodded at Amanda sincerely.

Amanda's eyes watered a little and she returned the nod "I will help you avenge your father's…and see to it that your life is set right for all of your own loses. You too deserve to have your dream become a reality." She patted at her own knees and nodded "Okay! Let's get the hell out of here and get our happy asses to Kyoto, Japan! I studied there for three years before I went to Peru so it will be exciting to see how much it changed since I was last there." Amanda seemed to be beaming, she was closer to her dream and this time someone cared enough aside from James to help her!

--Later

Amanda came out of the entrance of St. Francis Folly into a heavy rain that down poured upon them both. Her clothes stuck to her and she held her arms out and absorbed that moisture of the air and relished the cool of the evening rain. "This is bliss."

Sonya watched her and with serine smile on her lips as she still held the ankh in her right hand and nodded "Indeed it is." She felt her cheeks warming and took a deep breath and went ahead to the car and got in. She cracked the window and called out over the crashing rain "Get in least you catch your death in this cool air!" she rolled the window back up, started the car, and turned on the heater. She hated that it always came on cold until it warmed up, and yes she knew the engine had to warm up first, but STILL. "Sonya muttered a soft curse as she tapped the heater vent repeatedly as if that would make it work faster. "C'mon you stupid thing! Get warm!" she shivered and watched Amanda walk around to the drivers side and get in.

"What the hell is wrong with you? You cold?" she smirked and started revving the engine to get it warmer a bit faster. Amanda was comfortable, and she liked the cold over the heat. Sonya was amusing her right now though, how someone so prim and proper, elegant, and regal was reduced to a shivering shaking child because she was cold. "Light weight." Amanda sneered playfully and stuck her tongue out at her.

"Your accumulative attention to the details astounds me Amanda." She rolled her eyes and then she shot Amanda a glare at her sneering comment "You are all high and mighty now, but I do remember that someone was being a little 'princess' because they were too hot in Egypt! So you stick that tongue where you would appreciate it most, and enjoy the taste of your own asinine beguilement!" she was leaning closer to the heater and thanking God that it was getting warmer now. "Yes, oh lovely, LOVELY heat!" she opened the low cut blouse that was clinging to her in her rain soaked form and enjoyed the heat on her cleavage. She paid no mind that Amanda was quiet, for she was not caring what she was doing right now! She was COLD! Even the monocle between her breasts was fogged up!

Amanda was laughing at her inwardly, and how she was so cute. But to 'tell her off' in such a way made her stop smiling abruptly. Amanda found herself sneering again after a moment and turned the dial from red to blue slowly.

"**BY ALL THAT IS HOLY!"** Sonya screamed and sat away from what used to be heat and glared at the woman next to her who erupted into a laughing fit. Sonya was pissed, but then she started laughing too reluctantly. Then she moved the dial from blue back to red when Amanda was not looking. She was** still** cold damn it.

Amanda drove the car back and they went to Athens International Airport to get on the flight Sonya was arranging along the way. She was already thinking about sake bars, hot pot, sushi, and karaoke. "Oh man this will be fun!" she giggled.

Sonya glanced over once while she was on the phone speaking Japanese to the airport, and hotel she was arranging and nodded that she agreed with her as well. "Arigato, Tanaka-San." (Thank-you Mr. Tanaka) and hung up her phone. "The plans are made, I acquired a Sano Tanaka which is a very good travel agent to set us up with the flight and rooms at a very nice penthouse room while we are there." She yawned absently and crossed her legs as she enjoyed the drive. She had a very content look on her face.

"You look very content." Amanda noticed "By the way, why do you always have me drive? I am just curious." She glanced over at her as she asked and then refocused on the road.

"That is because I _**like**_ you driving me around. You drive very well and I am comfortable with how you do so. Besides, you are good eye candy. You are focused on the road, I can look at you and you do not see me doing so." She said matter of fact like with a most devious smirk on the right side of her lips.

Amanda shot her face towards her with her mouth and eyes wide open in shock that she would even say that!

Sonya did not look back at her, but pointed at the road casually "Road. You are supposed to be watching the road, not me silly." She now smiled ear to ear.

Amanda scoffed once again at a loss for words "You!" she half scolded her as her face burned as she gripped the steering wheel tighter. "The fuck man!.." she muttered in complete embarrass yet again. "Stop DOING that!" she hissed through her teeth.

She did not see the pitch black sunglasses staring at her with a triumphant grin that would match even the most winked of deviants watching her as she drove the car.

When they got to the airport they got on the private jet they split the cost of and then they were on their way to Japan. Amanda was reading up on the area on her laptop when the reached altitude and was pleased that there was just so much to do! Maybe they could go to a festival as well! She always wanted to wear a kimono!

Sonya was listening to some soft classical music and was trying to shake this feeling that something was going to go wrong about this trip. She just could not place it, but she was following her instinct and would try her damndest to be prepared for whatever they will face.

_**End Chapter 9**_

**AN**: Hope this was enjoyable! Here is some small background, what Amanda is doing was/is in fact what happened in **Tomb Raider: Last Revelation**. This is a brief summary that I gathered from Wikipedia to help make things clearer for those who did not play this game on the PS2 at all. Werner Von Croy had no children that were ever mentioned, I added Sonya from imagination and placed her in to give the story some deeper arc in regards to revenge and conviction to why/how a hatred can be so strong. NO one will be confused if I can help it:

The story begins with Lara Croft's teenaged tomb-raiding origins, accompanied by her former mentor Werner Von Croy. They travel to the temple of Angkor Wat, Cambodia in the hope of finding the mystical "Iris." However, the trip is cut short by an accident where Lara is forced to abandon her companion in order to save her own life. Back in the year 1999 Egypt (this is the only game in the series to keep the globehopping to a minimum, aside from the prequel level the entire game takes place in one country), Lara Croft uncovers an ancient tomb where a fearsome Egyptian God Set was once imprisoned. She unwittingly unleashes him and finds herself in a deadly race against time to restore the god to his resting place before an apocalypse befalls Earth. Unfortunately, Von Croy becomes Lara's new rival as he is possessed by Set himself and he makes things considerably more difficult. Lara travels across Egypt to collect the pieces of Horus' armour in order to defeat Set. They are found in Pharos, Temple of Isis, Temple of Poseidon and Cleopatra's Palaces. She combines them (with the Amulet of Horus) in the Temple of Horus to finally defeat her enemy. However before Horus can be summoned, Set arrives and destroys the armour, knocking the amulet into the water. Lara quickly recovers it and exits the Temple sealing the entrance shut with the amulet. She must leave it in place to keep Set imprisoned for eternity. As she reaches the exit of the temple, injured and exhausted, she is confronted by Von Croy. Fearful that he may still be possessed she is reluctant to hold onto his hands and so falls into the darkness beneath the collapsing temple.

Werner Von Croy was killed in **Tomb Raider: Angel of Darkness**. That is where I have the journals' from France come into play.

I am told my imagination is dangerous, that's up to you all. LOL


	10. Chapter 10

**Disclaimer:** I do not own anything in regards to the Tomb Raider franchise. Alas, this is a pity… this story is for the utter amusement, entertainment, and bewilderment of the fans who appreciate Lara as being one of the best games in the world! Thoughts of the day: If Superman was bullet proof, why does he stand there when bullets are shot at him, then dodge when a gun gets thrown at him? Hmmmmm…..strange… (Movies just can't seem to get it right probably insurance issues in regards to bodily harm LOL)

**Author Notes:** I like getting into the part of the characters that you do not see. What happens 'in between' Lara's excursions? How does she interact with the people in her life when it is not over her headset? Read on and (hopefully enjoy my imagination). Love it or hate it, it's up to you to decide.

**Chapter Ten:** The search of one's blood, "I sense my child in this realm, but where? Where is my blood?"

Tokyo, Japan

"Hontou? Arigato Minato-san. Kobanwa." (really? Thank you Ms. Minato. Good evening.) Lara thanked the woman that she had as a travel agent in the area and turned to look at Valkyrie, "You would think that this was the capital of the world, given credit to all the technological advances they have made on this historic little island." She glanced around and sighed contentedly, Lara did so much enjoy the beautiful atmosphere of Japan and wanted so badly to spend a great deal of time here enjoying the sites and culture (that means she would love to be 'doing her thing' and seeing what she could find or unearth on a leisurely fashion.)

Valkyrie stared at the back of her head and smirked, she knew all too well that Lara wanted to play here and had to admit that she too would not mind a little excavating of some ancient shrines and sight see some of the older prefectures in the regions. The idea of seeing honored weapons and armor of legendary samurai intrigued her and she relished the idea of trying her hand at the katana, then again she would be using Thor's hammer and that in itself was a lot of fun as well, she mused to herself 'All of these choices, what_ever _is a girl to do?' she was brought out of her personal musings by Lara asking her a question.

"After we check in, what do you feel up to eating? Japan is home to the most exotic forms of seafood and vegetables in the world." Poor Lara was at a personal loss as to what to eat tonight and therefore was asking for advice, but she would never let her in on this, Valkyrie would never allow her to live it down that Lara Croft could not make a simple decision on what to eat. She who had back-up plans, FOR plans, and a plan to back those up if the first two failed, but not today it seemed. Lara was feeling a bit off her game, and Valkyrie noticed, and was going to have a bit of fun.

Valkyrie stared at Lara for a long moment and Lara saw a very evident smirk appear that vanished as soon as it came. Valkyrie answered "Well, this country is supposed to be the best for squid and octopus, how about some Kraken?" she grinned from ear to ear, her glowing eyes seemed to twinkle for a moment with the whimsical deviousness of her statement. "Oh that's right. You killed the Kraken didn't you? Tsk, what a waste. I wonder how much he would have sold for here in Japan." She looked skyward and stroked her chin with the index and middle fingers of her left hand in upward and downward motions. "I gather he would have been….._delicious _but I don't think we will ever find that out. Unless….you kept some?" she snickered once.

Lara was at a true loss for words! Valkyrie was as plain as day mocking her! Lara could not help but be aware of the slight jumping of her left eye which she tried her best to control and failed miserably "It was self defense!" she spoke through her teeth in defense of herself.

Valkyrie tilted her head and smirked "TRULY now? and what was it doing before you came upon it? I suppose it was already mapping out various scenarios of your demise then? Are you trying to say it attacked you first?" she was easing off Lara now, Valkyrie's fun was going to end at Lara's answer because she had a feeling that Lara did in fact do just that, defend herself.

Lara scoffed expressing her disgust at the teasing shadow and gave a most irritated glare. "Would you please! Just let me know what you want to eat! Or I will choose for you! For bloody's sake! It was just sitting there blind from old age, it whipped out at me and I had to kill him to get to the first gauntlet!" she flicked her loose braid over her shoulder and gave a heavy agitated sigh "REALLY!" she now picked her bags up again and rolled her eyes.

Valkyrie was nodding up until Lara started in on how it was just 'sitting there' and then why did Lara have to admit it was blind? "Let me get this right…." She folded her arms under her breasts beating back the Cheshire cat like grin that was trying to appear on her lips.

Lara stopped in place throwing her head back sighing loudly and very pointedly that she was ready to move on and that this conversation was did not hold any interest for her, especially at the expense of being teased.

"You mean it lashed out at you trying to basically feel what was out there? Then you being in your 'mode' allowed nothing to stand in your way as pressed forward for that artifact? Then, you said it was blind? You cruel creature you. Tsk tsk Lara, shame on you." She allowed herself to giggle here. "You could have at the very least made the murder of that 'poor _defenseless_ creature' honorable, so his death meant…I dunno? **Something**? You sent it right to hell with no kind of blessing or well wishes." She cracked a smirk and tiled her head upwards as she did so.

Lara whipped around and pouted her lips at Valkyrie with a slow narrowing of the eyes. There is quite a definitive difference in my actions of offensive and defensive, but.." here Lara started to grin wickedly "I would like to bring attention to your religious statement, and how you so eloquently out it that I sent it straight to hell."

"Oh? Please, elaborate would you?"

"Oh, I will. You see, I am 'very' different from religion my dear friend." Lara quirked her left brow at her as she said this.

"Please, 'humor' me, how are you Lady Lara Croft, are so very different from religion." She quirked an identical brow back at her.

Lara took that very opportunity to say "Of course on such wide variations across the world it would depend on what culture you were, but in religion it is decided whether you go to heaven or hell after you die. How I am different from that is that I can make it heaven or hell while you are here. Now get your bum on the move at this moment and let's go to our hotel please, I think we will have some yellow tail sushi and sake since you could not decide." She grinned arrogantly with wink and turned back around and walked off in a most lady like fashion carrying her bags. They had to get into their route plans so the carefully organized trip would not be a total waste. After all, she had not seen her Japanese friend in quite some time, his info was the best, and well worth the money. The trip to where he stayed was going to be two days on motorcycle, he liked his privacy and only came to the city when he needed to. He was ex-yakuza and although he could deal with people, he preferred not to.

Valkyrie stared after Lara in a paradox of how she lost control of the fun and it ended up being Lara's win. None the less, she could not argue Lara's point, she has in fact made it perfectly clear that it was within her power to make life heaven or hell, Amanda and herself were fine examples of this. Amanda has been dragged through the ringer with Lara, and Lara at the same time has shown Valkyrie mercy and provided her some peace. "Bloody hell, what in the world just happened?" she picked up her own bags and walked after Lara now frowning curiously.

27 hours later….Osaka International Airport

Amanda came off the public plane sighing heavily. The trip from Egypt there was long and taxing, and it was Sonya's idea to travel amongst other civilians in order to conceal their activities better. Amanda had on tight daisy duke jean shorts and button up shirt that was tied in a knot above her abdomen and half unbuttoned at the top exposing her cleavage. Her sandals flopped carelessly on the ramp steps and into the airport. She shown her ticket and stretched as she awaited Sonya. Japanese men were staring quite openly at the 'American' woman with strange tattoos. Some men had to sit down due to their pants becoming a bit to tight to walk properly.

Sonya came off the plane 12 minutes later leaving behind a very blush and flustered stewardess of French decent. The woman waved shyly after her as they said goodbye to all passengers, Sonya smiled from behind her pitch black glasses and blew a soft kiss at her as she left down the ramp. As she came into the airport the first thing she noticed was the men who were 'resting' in chairs and staring openly at Amanda who was pulling at the front of her shirt rapidly trying to get air on her breasts as she cracked her neck from side to side. Sonya groaned lowly and shook her head, "Attention glutton." She muttered, they were trying to stay low profile and Amanda was being Tokyo Visit Barbie.

Amanda saw Sonya now and went over cracking her neck from side to side. "I thought the first thing I wanted to do when we got here was start shopping, but I am so damn sleepy it makes no sense." She held in a yawn.

Sonya released a short quick sigh "Yes, there will be plenty of time to rest when we reach our goal. Remember why we are here! We have to get to Kyoto to retrieve the Pendragon Stone, and get you one step ahead of Croft so you can get to Avalon." She hissed slightly, Amanda's carefree attitude towards this was bothersome to say the least.

Amanda smirked while she was being 'reminded' as to why they were here. Sonya was actually even more attractive when she was annoyed. She was playing it up a bit to get under her skin. Then she thought, either I am stupid or just that brave, I am teasing the daughter of Set….to this she merely shrugged and giggled. "I guess I am American." She said more to herself than to Sonya who nodded in agreement.

After a good train ride Sonya and Amanda got to Kyoto, Amanda was watching the Japanese men's hands wander to women's backside or to the curve of their breasts as if it were an accident. Other passengers conveniently turned their heads or focused on their newspaper or music players. Sonya's detest of this was obvious on her cheeks as she grinded her teeth as her glowing red eyes burned behind her pitch black sunglasses "So much for country fellowship…" she hissed.

Amanda was not paying much mind. She was looking at the scenery and listening to Muse "Supermassive Blackhole" on her IPOD. She took out an ear bud when Sonya hissed her words and took in the situation. After rolling her eyes Amanda patted her leg which Sonya managed to ignore blatantly. Amanda rose an eyebrow at this and knew instantly that Sonya was weighing out scenarios out of sheer anger and detest at the crude acts she witnessed. "Oh shit. Calm down!" she whispered quickly "This has been going on for centuries in their culture, and there is nothing you can do to stop it! Whatever you would do would not change anything for more than a day! You told ME to keep a low profile, and here YOU are thinking of murder!" she hissed as quietly as she could, but Sonya's face did not change once. "Damn it all…" Amanda blushed and started moving her hand slowly up Sonya's thigh starting at her knee. Amanda was taking deep breaths to control how embarrassing this was and could not look anywhere else but out the window. By the time her hand got to Sonya's inner thigh just outside of her hallmark Sonya was not breathing. She was unusually still. Amanda glanced out the corner of her eye and saw Sonya's cheeks cherry red and her breathing had changed to a quicker pace. Amanda knew her tactic worked but felt she had to say something cool to play it off "And if you don't behave yourself I'll have to do it again until you learn your lesson!" she closed her eyes the minute she said it. That didn't come out the way she wanted it to and after SLOWLY looking out the corner of her eye, almost regretting that she was going to look, she saw Sonya with this wonderful smirk on her face, her ruby lips had a daring "Oh really?" mock on them. Amanda cursed herself mentally and now SHE was blushing more. Her deed completely backfired. The rest of the trip Sonya seemed to hum one of her favorite pieces from "Carmen" the live Opera.

Amanda was happy to survive the remaining part of the train ride. It was a rather quiet ride back, neither gave the other more than a glance or a nod as they shared looks out the window in awe of the scenery. They checked into their hotel which turned out to be an old style dojo home from the meij era. Amanda was dumbstruck to say the least, this place smelled of the fine wood on the floors, sliding paper screen doors and lovely tatami room where kimonos were lain out for them already which they could wear around their home as they saw fit as a courtesy. After fully exploring the entire place and getting to know the three servants that stayed there which consisted of three people, a father, son and daughter. The father introduced himself as simply Jubei, his son was Yoshiro, and his daughter was Kimiko. Jubei had a most interesting scar that went over his left eye and seemingly was sewn closed. Amanda was having fun guessing how it happened, a cooking accident perhaps or he was some kind of secret ninja from the feudal era. This brought her to giggle a little. After they settled in Sonya had suggested they start immediately and go right into what they were there for, the Pendragon Stone. Sonya told Amanda that the shrine was not on a map, because it was a place for those who sought wisdom to go to, and in the ancient feudal era it was place where many came to center themselves before great battles or who sought enlightenment. This place was even known to train priests to exorcise demons.

Amanda was enthralled by the information of this secret shrine, and even more overwhelmed with the service and surroundings. Sonya's contact, this Sanyo Teriyaki (Sano Tanaka which she could not remember) gets an A in her book for arranging the 'hook up' in regards to their travel plans and arrangements. "I am going to change really quick then!" she winked at Sonya and was off to her room. Before they left onto their flight she ordered some clothes off the internet two days prior and was glad they arrived the day before they set out. Amanda washed up and came out in a white collared button up shirt that was open except for the usual two buttons she kept fastened in between her breasts, on the shirt was kanji for 'sophisticated truth' which she wore with a blue jean mini skirt that had 2 inch slits on both sides which had also had kanji for 'unaltered deceit', then to complete her ensemble were white and blue sneakers that had itty bitty kanji on the sides that said 'I love nuts' with a chibi (cute and small) squirrel holding an acorn possessively with big innocent eyes, oh and by the way, they blinked when she walked. Amanda placed her head on her hips and gave the j-pop idol signature peace sign and a wink as she said "Genki!" (cool).

Sonya was sitting down off the edge of the porch near the courtyard waiting for her, she was wearing a favorite blouse from home which was crimson in color that curved down low enough to cover her rear, generously cut in the front considering the hot climate there, a fashionable golden hooped belt that was slanted on her hips, and black tights with knee high crimson suede boots that had this golden chains that hooped the ankle to match her belt. Behind her pitch shades her crimson eyes were taking in the bonsai trees and decorative bamboo shoots on the property. As Amanda would walk outside and make her gesture Sonya's mouth fell open and she dropped her cell phone at her feet. "What in the wild blue heaven are you?...and before she could finish just as quickly she said "Awwww what a cute squirrel! It's _adorable!_ Look at him! Look at how he is holding his little nut!" she lost all intelligible mannerisms at the sight of something that cute.

Amanda was proudly nodding and turning from side to side to show her clothes off "I know! Isn't it just to die for?" she giggled "I had to buy it just as I was skimming the net a few days before we left. Okay, okay we HAVE to get going and go see this…." She stopped and quirked a brow "Look at YOU Miss Sassy pants! That is some nice coordination you got going on there!" here she leaned forward to whisper "I hope you don't have to run, or you are going to pop out of your blouse." She giggled as she made fun of her.

Sonya looked up at her and lowered her sunglasses just enough for the glowing crimson orbs to stare at her "And if I did? I could only hope that you would help tuck me back in? Or would you leave me in a sad state of affairs?" she gave nothing short of a deep mocking smirk and a soft "hm?" as she crossed her legs and allowed her feet to dance up and down then back and fourth. "Your hands are magic, truly, I mean you proved this on the train." She grinned.

"Oh God!,oh God, oh God, oh God!" Amanda jumped up and down in place frantically with each word that escaped Sonya's lips. Amanda's face scarlet, the scar was once again white, and her heart beat like a taiko drum master at a celebration. "OH MY GOD! SONYA!" she covered her face and screamed behind her hands which came through more like a muffled screech.

Sonya nodded and stood up smirking her obvious victory "That is what you get for as you Americans say, talking the shit?" she clucked her tongue and sighed pointedly. "Now if you are down making a complete ass of youself shall we 'finally' get moving? She looked at a map she had on her laptop that had a satellite feed and live compass 'We will be heading north from her towards that way." She pointed and then looked at her "It is nestled in high hills and there are about 1300 steps up that we must make it up." She looked at Amanda and sighed heavily "Honestly! Are you still trying to re-gather yourself? Pull it together would you?" she smiled as she said this. It was then that she heard a barely audible voice muffled behind her hands say "Woo wo wirst, wi'll we wight wehind wou, wrying wot wo wie wof wembarrassement." This gesture only made Sonya laugh aloud as she snapped her laptop closed and started walking ahead as asked.

Toykyo, Japan

Lara had a wonderful dinner, the yellow tail sushi was scrumptious and the plum sake was warm and delightful. Lara now took this time to get back to the hotel and contact her friend that she mentioned at the end of her Nepal adventure with Valkyrie, Minamoto Yoshiro, an old contact friend that she had for years, there were of course reasons she called them contacts, and not under her friend stature. Friends in Lara's mind were people who you confided in, shared thing with and those were the people who laughed and cried with you. She has learned that the people she has respected, cared for, or loved has ended on sour demise. Larson was someone she respected, and she ended up having to kill him. Her friends from college all died in Peru except for Anya and Amanda, which was now a strained relationship due to the circumstances of how they were lost and of course Amanda was a story all by herself. Then, not to mention Alister, how he died behind Natla and Amanda's involvement. Now if something were to happen to Zip or Winston she knows she would taste the dark depths of personal depression and detachment from the world more so than she is already. Valkyrie was what Lara could not place, she felt whole, at ease, and balanced when she was near. People in passing were already referring that they were twins and how hot it would be to be with both of them. Lara would curse the acuteness of her ears at moments like that. People were so ridiculous and closed minded! The thought alone is improper not to mention uncalled for! She looked at Valkyrie and held up a finger as she started making a phone call to her male contact. As soon as he answered the phone she switched in her standard Japanese, "Ah, Muramasa-San. It is good to hear your voice, it's been quite a while! Yes, my flight was lovely, and I have procured what you wanted as payment. No other contacts have been made by me, no one else knows what I am looking for. Yes, you have my personal assurance, I didn't even tell my home contact what I was getting. What?" here Lara's posture tightened as well as her eyes 'When? What the hell are they doing here?" her voice iced with an edge. Yes, yes, I am grateful to you Muramasa-San. I will look forward to what else you have gathered for me." And after that she closed the phone and lowered her head as she rubbed her left temple in circular motions with her left index and middle finger.

Valkyrie was now staring at Lara openly and sat forward from the chair she was sitting in. She then closed her eyes and seemed to become motionless and after a moment she opened her eyes with a quizzical look on her face "Who is Shogo Takamoto? And why is his men looking for you?" she asked with a tilt of her head. She had a secret and this was as good as tie as any to bring it to light.

Lara's back arched as she drew a sharp breath, it felt as if something ice cold had ran its hands through her body starting at her head and down to her heart! She turned around upon Valkyrie with a horror struck look upon her face "How in the bloody hell did you do that?" she exclaimed as she backed away almost tripping over her shoes that were on the floor behind her. It was just like when they were still using St. Francis Foley! Lara's mind raced back to that earlier time…

_~Flashback (in chapter 4)~_

Valkyrie was rubbing Lara's shoulders as she still stood behind her staring at the info that was still on her screen which Zips had gathered. The screen seemed to stare back at them, the picture of the dragon that was on the Dagger of Xian. She looked at Zip and motioned her head shortly to the left which was a silent request of some girl talk. Without argument he stood up and left, looking over his shoulder once in awhile as he headed to the door that would lead towards the Coliseum arena where he would wait. After she knew he was full out of earshot she looked back to Lara and walked around to her front and crouched down before her. "What is it? You have been there before?" that was obvious enough to gather, but now she wanted to confirm something. Valkyrie then said something unexpected "Right now, I see tigers, a man…his name is Bartoli…and he…" she closed her eyes softly and concentrated "He became a dragon…you killed him… the dagger is used to kill it. Then.." she opened her eyes to see staring at her with obvious disbelief, and a definite loss for words. Valkyrie smiled "You sneaky girl. You still have it." She said with a knowing tilt of her head as she looked up at Lara surprised face where she was still crouched.

Lara gasped softly and shook her head slowly, she felt like time was stopping, or was it moving too fast? "How did you?..." the question although a prudent one already had an answer, something that the infamous British woman knew the answer to before she even asked. "You are me, with the flaws removed. Even when I asked if you had your freedom, what would you do? You stared back at me then. I knew it in your eyes, even before you said it back to me. 'What would **YOU** do?' You are able to see my past experiences through what connects us, can't you?" Lara could hardly keep her mouth from staying open.

Valkyrie nodded once "I **AM** you, with the flaws removed. The more I am with you, the stronger I feel what ties us get stronger. You still have me on a few things, my acrobatics are still much slower than your own. You swim much faster than me, and your weapon mastery exceeds my own. I exceed you in hand to hand and stamina, but in so many ways we are the same. This is only a scratch of the surface I am sure, what is important now is that we find out what the dagger of Xian has in common with Xibalba and also how it ties into our primary mission of finding the two other gods of Atlantis. I am sure you would agree on this?" she took Lara's left hand with her right and squeezed it softly as her left hand patted Lara's outer thigh comfortingly. "We really do need to get busy, where is that dagger now?"

The entire time Lara listened to Valkyrie, her thoughts flooded with a 100 things. What she could never bring herself to do, open up, was now done for her, and understood fully what was going on within her. Lara was alarmed and strongly concerned of course! What else could Valkyrie do? Was she reading her mind all this time? Or was she gathering the memories that Lara pressed deeply into her mind in an attempt to seal it away. All the things Valkyrie said were true though, the difference in strengths between them was just as impressive as the weakness they had independent of each other. Perhaps what the _flaws removed_ concept could 'truly' be seen as is that each of them had their own set of flaws, but together they had none. "I still have it." Lara gathered herself "As I got home after the destruction of half the great wall, which cost me a damn fortune I might add! Marco Bartoli's men came to my home and tried to reclaim the dagger and end my life. After I secured them a permanent place in a church lot I was able to truly adore my prize. I left it in the air tight vaults underneath my home. _**Thankfully**_ that was never destroyed." Lara squint her eyes playfully at Valkyrie in a bit of tease about her prior deed.

~End flashback~

It was now that realization happened upon Lara, Valkyries words echoed within her head resounding off of every possible brain vessel she had. The scenario replayed in Lara's memory like a perfect recorder…she remembered now how Valkyrie had merely stood up and said…

~flashback 2~

Valkyrie shrugged before standing up to now look down at Lara "My apologies." She tilted her head up with a bit of feigned arrogance, and defiance. "But you really should have had a better security system. I mean truthfully, I just walked in." she folded her arms under her breasts much like Lara does and extended her right leg forward in a bit of a pose.

~end flashback 2~

Lara's eyes still remained wide and almost fearful, the same state of relax that she gathered in Valkyries's company was shaking, the feeling of being read so easily, no…._mind_ read. Valkyrie was reading her mind! How long was she doing this? Was she doing this every minute of the day? "How DARE you?...how COULD you?...I…." Lara covered her face with both hands as her head seemed to swim with many emotions. It was way too overwhelming!

Valkyrie said nothing the entire time, she just stared at Lara nonchalantly and crossed her left leg over her right leg as she leaned forward putting her left elbow onto her left knee and that hand rested under her chin for support. Her right hand was tracing the edge of her wine glass causing it to ring softly against the deafening silence of the room. "You can be so paranoid." She spoke blankly. She expected this kind of response of course, and that played a big part of why she was making it known now and not later. She decided that if she was to wait until later, Lara would either think she was baiting or using her, so she wanted to be upfront and honest. "Lara, as you have just surmised from an earlier date I have the small ability to read your movements, or should I say that is how it started out?" she shrugged slightly "I have always given you small hints over our time together, how I felt or saw the flashes that went across your mind. In China how I was able to read into your movements and thus gain the upper hand on Amanda, I would say it would have been flawless except for when you got shot several times. Yes, I'll admit that even I do not know of my full capabilities quite yet, but I can assure you that when Natla made me? She had no earthly idea of how well she did it. If she did, she probably would have killed me a lot sooner than she initially planned to." She sighed softly and adverted her eyes here "I do not apologize that I kept this from you, there are other things about my mind and my personality that I like to have for my own individuality. You keep things to _yourself_, and I too like keeping some things to _myself_." Tilting her head skeptically as she said this.

Lara spoke with a raised voice "Bloody hell! What do you mean keep some things for your 'own' individuality? You know so many things about me already! God only knows how deep you have intruded into my mind! The things I wanted to keep secret you may already have had a bloody peek at! That is NOT fair! My mind is private and is only for me, _**that**_ I find invasive!" her eyes watered a bit here as she fought back her anger. "What do you have to say about that?"

Valkyrie stared at her unblinkingly and spoke coldly "Get used to disappointment. I am you, with the flaws removed. I thought we established this. I cannot stop doing this no easier than you can stop being who you are. You want me to stop reading your mind? The only way for you to get 'that' to happen is to cease existing. We know you will not do that. Was it not Larson who told you these very words before you killed him _-that's just not who you are-?" _

Lara furrowed her brows as her eyes gleamed and tears began to fall at the memory of the first man she ever killed "You! Stop it! I demand that you do! You even bring THAT up!" she coughed back her need to scream.

Valkyrie took up her glass and sipped it before sighing. How in the hell was she to explain to Lara that she could not help but do this. It was like receiving radios waves or having a television you could not turn off. She was happy at the fact this was out in the open, quite frankly more relieved than anything. "Lara, I agree. Let's just stop. This conversation became fruitless as soon as it was started. I got what I wanted, and that was for you to know that I could." She didn't finish her wine, but just stood up and flipped her crimson braid over her shoulder as she walked past Lara and around the corner out of sight. She called over her shoulder as she left without looking back "If Shogo Takamoto's men are still angry with you, then you better be well prepared. You know the Japanese carry a bad grudge."

Lara wiped at her eyes several times but the tears would not stop streaming. "Damn it!" she cursed through her teeth. She was furious, but she was also still thinking and what Valkyrie said was right. Shogo Takamoto was the very man she killed to get a piece of the long lost Excalibur long ago, the fight at the top of his penthouse was something she prided herself on. The motor bike stunt still fresh in her mind and how Zip was all about to have a spaz attack as she did so. His men would want revenge, time to show them that a living Ju-on (vengeful spirit/cursed individual) can be just as deadly as a spirit. Lara went on to unpack her cases back at the hotel room and took out Excalibur and placed it on her bed. She took out her twin pistols and her ammo supply, and laid that on the bed as well. After a nice hot shower she got dressed in some skin tight black khaki pants, and a black button up shirt. Some black hiking boots and then donned her legendary back pack and strapped on her pistols and lastly Excalibur. It was just as she touched the door handle that she heard a soft click on the other side of the door. Her eyes popped wide open and she dove to the right!

The door became bullet riddled and the bed starting having fluff fly into the air as bullets pierced it and the wall across the room. Lara tucked and rolled and put her back into the corner and whipped out both pistols training them on the door trying to catch her breath. She heard soft movements on the other side of the door and she now strained to her how many assailants were outside in the hotel hallway. She heard inaudible Japanese spoken softly and saw shadows through the bullet holes in the door fly back and fourth hurriedly. "Damn!" she whispered lowly, it had to be what remained of Takamoto's yakuza! They were just talking about them and then all of a sudden they show up! Her eyes tightened as she now braced herself, it seems that they were about to make their move, and so was she. She put down one of her guns and reached slowly into her backpack taking out a black sphere and clicked a button on it and held her hand on the button as a small red light started flashing repeatedly. "Come on, Mommy has something for you boys." She muttered under her breath. It was then that she heard a voice speak through in heavily accented English.

"Croft woman! You should have left with the knowledge and prize of your quests as such. Because of your belligerent nature and actions you have forced me to play an unfavorable hand into the meddling pets of your creators creations, or what you call yourselves…'mankind'. Miserable filthy bags of secrets, lies, and disgusting behaviors! If you were just another domicile I could have ignored you, but you have set waves into motion that no longer can be ignored or tolerated. Your existence is unacceptable, your crime? Is that you breathe. You have been measured, weighed, and have now been deemed expendable amongst the vast other furless monkey's that poison the world just by breathing. Terminate her into obscurity. I do not wish to even acknowledge her existence after today. She will be erased, as Natla should have done so from the beginning. Leave a stone unturned and you get a pestilence."

She knew she heard this voice once before! Her face frowned heavily as her eyes darted back and fourth quickly with her thoughts as she filed through her mind which seemed to flood with memories. Her eyes popped wide open and her heart began thumping in her chest with incredible force! "Oh my God! Tihocan!" her memories of combining the scion together which allowed her to see the sentencing of Natla flooded her mind, how he and Qualopec made their sentence and sealed her away.

She heard the voice speak back angrily through the door with a booming demand within it "**Wretched creature of the creator of imperfect creatures**! **How** _**DARE**_ **you speak my name with your vile lips wench? I am the God-King Tihocan! One of the triumvirate; once keepers of the three pieces of the scion; Diviners of its knowledge; Sacred only to Atlantis! And YOU destroyed it! Think not that you would be hunted for this feat filthy bitch!" **his voice was kingly as it roared through the hall. She could then tell that he snapped what sounded to be his fingers and apparently was left to die. The very people she was searching for to find final closure were seeking her out as well it seems….

**AN**: It has been awhile since I could find the time to finish this chapter! Here is some small amount of updates, these events during this story has taken place within the arc of **Tomb Raider Anniversary**. Lara should have known that after destroying the scion there would be strong repercussion of that act. The action will start pumping as more questions get answered and more truths become unveiled.


	11. Chapter 11

**Disclaimer:** I do not own anything in regards to the Tomb Raider franchise. Alas, this is a pity… this story is for the utter amusement, entertainment, and bewilderment of the fans who appreciate Lara as being one of the best games in the world! I am a Supervisor several buildings in the local school system, and I appreciate all who have been patient as I try to get each chapter done. I hope you enjoy the chapters as much as I enjoy typing them!

-Gotham Batman (yeah, that's right. I'm tired as freaking hell, but I am still holding the title of the Bat! LOL)

**Author Notes:** I like getting into the part of the characters that you do not see. What happens 'in between' Lara's excursions? How does she interact with the people in her life when it is not over her headset? Read on and (hopefully enjoy my imagination). Love it or hate it, it's up to you to decide.

**Chapter Eleven:** Meddlers! False gods! You_** DARE**_ to mark one of my blood? You _**WILL**_ know my vehement hostility of this act!

**Tokyo, Japan**

"Lovely, just LOVELY!" Lara muttered with a slight shake to her lip, now that she knew it was definitely **not** yakuza outside her room, but she now had no earthly idea what it was that Tihocan brought with him to deal with her! Her heart was thumping wildly in her chest, her room was too small for a full out battle with anything that was not human! "I picked a fine time to have a row (argument) with her…" she was thinking of Valkyrie, it seems that Lara had indeed become well adjusted enough to start focusing on teamwork to handle their adversaries, but at the same time this is why she used to operate alone. This feeling of depending on someone made her feel weak a little less independent. She was taken out of her thoughts as the door burst inward and she heard snarls and low growls as the assailants started to filter into the room.

**Kyoto, Japan**

"Here we are! This is the great steps that lead to the shrine we are seeking!" Sonya spoke confidently with satisfaction and enthusiasm. It was a rather long trek there; Sonya was all geared up for the trip, excited even. It was more to benefit Amanda more than herself, but she had grown quite fond of the blonde's company which made the trip that much more **fun** and interesting. She stopped in place taking a moment to look around and then over her shoulder "Tsk! Amanda, I swear by all that is relic girl, you must have a heart that pumps crystal lite!" and she did not mean that as a compliment.

Here she was, taking up the rear, was Ms. Amanda Evert walking barefoot with her shoes hanging from the two fingers of her left hand that seemed to dangle with each excruciating step that she took. Her head was leaned back skyward in a childish fashion that looked like she was a moping child that didn't get her way. Amanda was ouching and hissing with every step for the last two hours. Her new shoes although cute were not made for long drawn out walks through the grasslands and hills of Japan. "What the freaking Hell man! You mean to tell me that we STILL are not there yet? Fuuuuuucccckkkkk!" she whimpered and stomped in place twice softly. She was really regretting the shoes, the tight jean skirt, and the fact that she wore a strapless bra under her shirt that seemed to make her sweat more. There was a very strong consideration to take that off and throw it into the wild blue yonder with the words FREEDOM echoing across the grasslands. Amanda collapsed on her rear, her knees together and her shins fanned out to both sides of her hips in an M shaped sit.

Sonya sighed softly and walked over to her aching companion. As she got to her she squatted down before her and rested her elbows on her own knees and placed her hands under her chin in a 'what am I going to do with you' fashion. "I thought you wanted this badly, the whole dream of Avalon and your conviction as you walked fourth with absolute assuredness in your goal. **NOW** look at you." She smiled deviously "You are just a wreck. Whining and short tempered as a weary child would be after a long day of school."

Amanda glared at her "You have nerve! I'd like to know what **your **secret is to make you keep your mind off any pains of the walk-a-thon from Hell!" slamming her sneakers in the grass with her expressed agitation. "Especially since you are carrying around your two super carriers! The USS Harry S. Truman and the USS Theodore Roosevelt!" pointing a shaking violent finger at Sonya's large bosoms.

Sonya blinked and looked down into her own cleavage and frowned as she looked up over at Amanda. My breasts are 'not' aircraft carriers. Those things allow men to take off and land on them as they are so ordered to by their superiors. There are three things wrong with that, 1) **No****one** is my superior, 2) There are **no****men** allowed on anything I carry, and 3) I am **NOT** American, I am Austrian. The left breast would be the W (west) Divine, and the right breast would be E (east) Temptation. So, ergo, I say this to you. You bring the W.M.O.A. to visit my Divine Temptation and I promise you will love the places I can take whether your eyes are open _or_ closed. I assure you that the W.M.O.A. can land ANYwhere it wants to on my carriers so…" it was here that Amanda now interrupted her.

"Whoa! WHOA! WAIT! What the HELL does W.M.O.A. mean? What the fuck are you talking about?" her face was both perplexed and aggravated that Sonya was carrying on about something outside of her understanding and her hand gestures were waving back and fourth in front of her like –enh enh wait a ga-damn minute. STOP!

Sonya grinned as Amanda took the bait so easily and crawled over closing the distance between them, her breasts hanging and swayed with each movement as she sexily crawled over to Amanda and brought her face close enough to her that their noses almost touched. Sonya was so close that Amanda that she was able to see a crimson glimmer of Sonya's eyes through her usual pitch black sunglasses. Amanda was leaning backwards with each movement that Sonya drew closer, Amanda was now resting on her open hands which she had to place in the grass behind her so she would not fall backwards on her back. Sonya knew when Amanda could lean back no more and now said lowly and sexily "Why darling, it means quite simply Warm Mouth of Amanda, and I mean what I said, you can place that…" Sonya brought her own right hand to her own lips and traced it slowly "here" then traced her finger into her own cleavage and down the left breast "here" then the right breast "here" and then her finger continued which Amanda was following with her blue eyes wide as saucers, and went to Amanda's right knee and ran the up her thigh into the inner most part where the body heat became so evident that she was close to her rose which Amanda gasped in unexpected shock. Sonya smiled and said "But there? I want _an__y _part of you here. You have that effect on me you see? And now you know what W.M.O.A. means. But I will only allow you to ignore me but so much." She smiled suggestive, yet, warningly and then said "Amanda darling? Are you alright?" with a tilt of her head to the left as she asked this. This took her out her own thoughts as she stared at Amanda intently.

Amanda was so motionless that she did not realize she was not breathing. She could not form words, especially after Sonya's finger moved so unexpectedly close to her rose, and she felt that if she tried to move even a bit that Sonya's finger tip would brush against timid petal. The only sound she could make was a choked "wuff?" as she tried to say 'what?' and then her eyes threatened to fall out of her skull because her eyelids were so withdrawn from them since they widened more after Sonya licked the dip of her under lip extremely slow in an upwards motion, then Sonya closed her eyes as she traced the line of Amanda's cherry red lipstick sealed lips, which with Sonya's moist tongue's saliva broke the seal as the tongue went up further to the arch of her upper lip where then Sonya pressed her lips into hers softly then firmly for eight full seconds. Sonya's head was not moving, but she moaned deeply as her tongue traced Amanda's lip line slowly three times and sighed just as deep to find that in Amanda's shocked paralyzed state that Amanda's teeth were open inside her mouth. The tip of Sonya's silky hot tongue found the tip of hers for one brief second and the two muscles were still in that moment. This is when Sonya withdrew slowly, the pressure of the lips went from evident, to slightly, then parted. Sonya sighed dreamingly with her eyes remained closed and removed the finger from Amanda's inner thigh and traced her own cleavage as she shivered for a few moments. After she stood up and opened her eyes behind those black sunglasses and said nothing as she watched Amanda stare back at her still just as motionless as she was if she was alright.

Sonya softly spoke "Are you still there Amanda?" in a mocking sense asking if she had fainted. Sonya was extremely excited and equally satisfied she was able to solve her own curiousness of how it would be to have her lips on Amanda's. "You told me you wanted to know what my secret was that allowed me to keep my mind off any pains from the walk-a-thon from Hell correct? I think of **you** Amanda, in various scenarios and sequences in my mind, romantic and passionate things. When my mind is focused on thoughts such as that? My feet do not ache nor do I experience hunger or thirst. _THAT_ is my answer. Now….are you ready to proceed?"

Amanda, as if almost to remember that she was not breathing still, started coughing as her lungs demanded air. She back peddled and stood quickly to her feet. She was not thinking on her aching feet, her tight skirt, or her body temperature, which Sonya did not help. "I'm getting tired of this shit!" she tried to sound threatening, but it came out shaken and uncertain. She did however throw her shoes away in a fuck it motion as she walked past Sonya towards the bottom of the seemingly never ending steps. "I'm going up first. Let's get this damned Pendragon Stone and get out of this humid, feet killing, country!" she walked up the steps hips having to sway due to her tight skirt as she lifted one foot after the next.

Sonya was not laughing, outwardly anyways, but allowed Amanda to try to hold herself together. She stood slowly and watched Amanda try to walk proudly past her and shook her head at the obvious loss of control Amanda had over her own actions. When Amanda started up the steps she smiled more and shrugged as she watched her tight rear ascend the steps. It was working out in her favor after all, she had a nice view aside from the country, oh how she so loved Japan, and followed after her keeping nine steps behind Amanda humming as she did so.

**Tokyo, Japan**

Lara barely dodged a diving assailant as she ran towards her hotel room wall and kicked off it doing a rounded flip over his head. The attacker stopped in place as if time stopped for him and spun around and kicked her while she was still in mid air. She yelled aloud with the impact as she slammed into the lamp on the opposite wall causing pieces to cascade down upon her and the night stand. There were four more in the room with her and an unknown amount remaining in the hall. Lara's vision was blurred for the most part, her mind reeling from the pain, she was gasping for air which she could not seem to do fast enough. Their eyes glowing a soft yellow was a dead give away that they were definitely not human, not that the snarls and growls that came from them would make her think otherwise. These men were Japanese in body, but unearthly in power. Lara frantically surveyed her situation as she jumped a shorter distance and started opening fire at the one that attacked her first. The man steadily walked towards her with utmost haste, she was already guessing he was just going to allow the bullets to connect, but his hand did several quick gestures before stopping, and it was then that she saw that in the back of his hand were her bullets that were already sliding back out and falling to the floor. "What the hell?" she gasped and tucked into a forward roll as he swiped for her, there was one there waiting for her and he kicked her in her roll tuck form which sent her spiraling into the mirror shattering it to pieces. Her right arm seared with pain as hot blood ran down it as well as down her right breast and right thigh. Shards of mirror were stuck in her left side, and her right hand dropped its gun so she could hold her wound that was now on the left side of her abdomen. "Bloody hell!" she yelled through gritted teeth, this was just awful amazing! She had to live, she could not meet her father and mother in heaven like this, then another thought, fear, the thoughts of the men she killed, the lives she took, would she see them at all? "Oh God! No! NO!" she panicked and started firing in all directions with the gun she still had in her left hand. The men shifted from side to side allowing the bullets to whiz by them into the hotel wall behind them.

Valkyrie was at a store that sold gothic items called "Shinigami" (God of Death). It specialized in leather, chains, corsets, and shiny black latex clothing that would mock that movie she watched with Zip once that was about some kind of idea pitting machines versus humans, a computer world where steak was delicious and juicy because the program told them it was so. The female that the lead character loved was the style that Valkyrie was already fond of. She cared not for actor's names or the name of the movie. She did however tell Zip after she said the movie was 'okay' and listened to him rant and moan about her tastes being drab and that she must be walking dead if she could not 'feel' this concept. Her patience wore a bit thin with his criticisms back then, and she tilted her head and stared at him "How do you know I didn't kill YOU already? Maybe it's YOU that thinks that is air you are breathing?" her eyes narrowed, but her lips half grinned….**half**. He said nothing else, just walked off stating that she was the worst critic ever. She had bought three various corsets, some matching pants and a pair of thigh high shiny leather boots. There was another pair she bought that came to the back of her calf and it had silver chains across the ankle joint. She bought some black lipstick and some crimson as well. It was when she left the store that she felt the change in Lara's mood, from aggravation to concern, and from concern to terror. Her eyes glowing from behind her dark sunglasses peered up towards the hotel that they were staying at, which was now at least five blocks away. She focused and saw images of Lara fighting strange things, and now that she was focusing on her, even her pain. "Fuck." She muttered and looked down the way she came. Even with her shadow speed she could not make it back to the hotel outside of at least 5-10 minutes. She started running anyways, people started moving in slow motion, cars were slow moving blurs that seemed to be in freeze frame. She had to stop in between to allow it to build back up, her limitations were so damned aggravating, sure she had more power than Lara, but at least Lara could do long distance running for longer periods of time. It was when she was halfway there that the gauntlets and belt started glowing brightly causing her to freeze unexpectedly "Why now?" she pondered, the Japanese who passed her were whispering "Kawai!" (cool!/cute! Which they have an affinity for in Japan.) She paid them no mind, her mind was off Lara a bit then to these gauntlets and belt of Thor. It was then that something hit thoughts "Thralls? Here?" her neck popped up towards the upper building where flashes of light were seen upon which she could only figure was Lara's gun fire. "How in the Hell?" enough questions! She thought, this was no time for them. Her un-human heart was thumping madly in her chest. The bags were still hanging loosely off both her wrists, and they had gotten twisted up in the gauntlets. She started using her shadow speed again and now when it was recharging she had to run at a normal pace which she felt as if she were a snail. She was suffering the classic case of when faced with eminent danger, no matter how fast you run, you are not running fast enough. "Damn it!" she heaved as she had to recharge yet again. She paid not much mind to the rain that was starting to come out of nowhere, almost an instant heavy rain started which caused the people of Japan to panic and run off hurriedly to quick shelter. "Great." She muttered.

Lara was missing them! These un-human men were easily dodging her bullets! She was loosing too much blood, and her head swam dizzily for a moment. She was taken back to that time in China where Amanda's men riddled her with a few bullets "Drastic irony" she muttered shakily. Valkyrie was not back yet, which means she was no where near or wasn't coming back. Lara thought of how she so badly wanted to apologize to her, even if she felt at the time she was right about speaking what she felt, there were way too many people that she could not say goodbye to or that she was sorry before they died. Lara's hand twitched slightly where her ears registered that there was the imminent constant clicking sound which was bound to happen. She was out of bullets which now meant she was out of luck as well. The growls were almost full of mirth that came from her assailants now as they closed in, seeing her slowly weakening and now out of ammo. They blurred towards her. All Lara could hear faintly were their footsteps and the hammering of rain outside. Had she been fighting that long she wondered?

"Létta ykkarr atlaga eoa deyja!" (Stop your attack and die!) boomed a voice that shook the remaining pictures off the wall, and the very room seemed to shake violently, the patio terrace door shattered as if it were hit by a sonic wave. The closest of Lara's attackers seemed to implode when the strange voice cracked through the room, and the ones further away were send through walls into the next room or in the hall reduced to nothing but splatters of blood.

Lara's focus expectedly returned when the voice boomed so loudly that her hair snapped out of its braid and hung loose around her shoulder. She saw the weird happening, her mind well learned as it was could not realize that language was anything but what it was "Norse?" and a whole new sleuth of questions and alarm swept over her. For now, the room was quiet and she now turned her attention over her shoulder to gaze out the window that was once there. At the same time she found enough energy to open a guitar case which she carried Excalibur in cleverly inside a special electric guitar with her free hand. The other hand that was cramped from being in strain over her side for awhile and now soaked with her blood offered no help at this time. As she pulled the hilt out of the neck of the guitar her eyes widened with the spectacle of what she saw next…

There in now what seemed to be a torn sky was what seemed to be a heavily armored embodiment of what seemed to be shaped like a man with cloudy consistency. The clouds swirled about the giant figure that peered down from the sky with glowing socket eyes that looked as if they were the moon themselves. It looked as if to be pushing the clouds apart with its' humongous hands as if it was peering out of a window. Heavy rain cascaded the patio and wind blew it into her room onto her fiercely. Around this giant figure with cloudy armor were much smaller ones around him with glowing wings carrying glowing swords or hammers that seemed to stand behind the massive figure either to both side motionless. The massive figure seemed to turn to Lara's direction and his voice boomed out "Argr kvikindi! Veita minn burr til prottigr Odin!" (Womanish creature! Yield my son to mighty Odin!)

"Odin?" Lara caught that, her mind reeled at the language because of the near deafening decibel that he spoke in. She had barely made out to understand what he was saying, her father taught her well and she picked up quickly what he spoke until he proclaimed his demand. Odin had returned finally for his son, and it was NOW of all times? Thor who had long been dead for centuries upon centuries! Lara was actually dumbfounded. How do you tell a Norse god that the son he proclaimed in legend that he would return one day to come for, was dead many years ago. It was then that the door a voice called out to Lara's blood soaked form…

"Lara!" Valkyrie shouted as she nearly slid in the black blood that seemed to claim the hall and their hotel room. She used her shadow speed to cover the distance between her and Lara and crouched down holding her tightly. She too looked up skyward and a lot more calm than Lara, she only quirked a brow "He's a big one. No wonder the belt and gauntlets are glowing like mad."

Lara clutched Valkyrie tightly with both arms "Valkyrie!" the pain didn't matter now. She was not alone, and Valkyrie was now there with her. "We are in trouble." she whispered. "Odin is here for Thor, and I don't think he is in the mindset to hear a woman explain anything to him. Tihocan was here! He sent his **things** to kill me!"

Valkyrie sighed heavily "Men…." She muttered and held Lara tighter. She felt Lara's fear, and a bit of what seemed to be realization of finalization. Lara thought, or knew, they were going to die soon.

The voice boomed out upon seeing the glowing belt and gauntlets that responded to him and the valkyries behind him. "Tala drengr Valkyrie. Kvisa gjarna gildr fregn. Kostr minn efniliar burr." (Speak warrior Valkyrie. Whisper willingly worthy news. Offer my promising son.), and at this he seemed to fall silent intently awaiting an answer.

Lara's heart stopped and she gazed up at Valkyrie from within her embrace. "He recognizes you as a Valkyrie! Because you have his son's gauntlets and belt!" her voice more in awe and astonish than anything "The hammer! Get it!" she almost pleaded.

Valkyrie frowned at Lara and nodded, sort of reluctantly letting her go to stand up and walk over to her own special suitcase where she carried the hammer given to her by Lara. Taking it out Valkyrie seemed to think hard on something as she looked about the room where she almost lost Lara, and she then walked out onto the patio and held it high towards the sky in silence. The hammer crackled with its energy, she hoped that since she carried the hammer, belt, and gauntlets that Odin would understand what she would say. "Your son is dead mighty Odin. The God-King Tihocan killed him. He and his triumvirate brought down your mighty son by use of the midgard serpent."

It wasn't a 'complete' untruth…..was it? She thought mentally with her glowing eyes and a show of the infamous sneer of her lips….

**AN**: It has been awhile since I could find the time to finish this chapter! Here is some small amount of new updates:

I am using a Norse dictionary and word for word placing them to form a sentence. The accented marks are missing in some of these words.

The Odin and Thor legend is different upon which site/story you read.

I am sorry it took me so long. I have been working so damn much over the last few months. I was able to get a vacation and finish this chapter. I hope you enjoyed it (I am halfway done with 12) Thank you to those who added my story, I hope you are enjoying it!


	12. Chapter 12

**Disclaimer:** I do not own anything in regards to the Tomb Raider franchise. Alas, this is a pity… this story is for the utter amusement, entertainment, and bewilderment of the fans who appreciate Lara as being one of the best games in the world! I cannot even begin to make sense of what happened the last few months as the summer draws near, and to be honest, I had this chapter done and 13 half done, and forgot that I was doing a fanfic in my free time, of wait…I had no free time, THAT'S what went wrong LOL. Hope you enjoy! The Batman then, and the Batman now.

**Author Notes:** I like getting into the part of the characters that you do not see. What happens 'in between' Lara's excursions? How does she interact with the people in her life when it is not over her headset? If you haven't figured it out all ready, each title is based on Odin coming to the human realm to make the promised return to his son.

**Chapter Twelve:** "My hands will drink heavily upon the throat the spews fourth your blood! This world will NOT hide you in her bosom, and you will reap the day that forfeit the life of my son! In favor I will eradicate your entire kind and burn the minds of all who knew you until you exist no more!"

**Kyoto, Japan**

"How in the hell are we to run into this shit in this day and time? I thought this kind of crap was only in the movies!" Amanda gritted her teeth as she gripped her black soul stone. She managed to throw a quick look to her right where Sonya was standing with a deep red aura starting to glimmer around the trace of both her hands. Amanda knew Sonya was ready at any moment to start using her magic, and far from she was to argue that at this point. Their enemies were of all things three ninjas dressed in the blackest clothes she could ever imagine.

From what Sonya was able to tell, the ninjas consisted of two males and a female kunoichi (female ninja). She glared at the three of them through her sunglasses at their stances. She assessed that they were in position to attack at any moment, and she could not understand right now why they did not already. Ninjas were nothing more than hired assassins, and they usually did not step out from the shadows until they made a kill, so why were they here at the top of all the stairs they ascended in broad daylight waiting for them? Were they the guardians of this secret shrine? It was the next addition to the ninja trio that her face really frowned. "Sano Tanaka?..."

Sano Tanaka, age 33, was a very well known travel agent to the wealthy community around the world. In fact it was he who set her lodgings, and travel up. He has been dealing with her for years and her father before her. Now he stood in front of the three ninja wearing a completely white suit with black cuff links and a pitch black dress shirt, complimented with a white tie. His white leather shoes tapped in place twice as he placed his left hand in his pocket as his right hand took off his sunglasses, and placed then inside his suit pocket before placing the right hand into the other pocket of his right pants leg. Here he sighed and looked over at Sonya, "Konnichiwa Von Croy-san." He gave a slight inclination of his head to the reverence he held for the family name. "Pardon me for this rude approach. I am not in the business of wasting much time with words. You are here for the Oni Stone? Are you not?" he nodded to himself as Amanda's face gave away that he was correct, although Sonya's face remained unchanged "Expected of an honorable Von Croy." He smiled as his shoulders shook a bit in humor of this "You can keep such a still and unreadable visage, although your friend cannot." Looking over at Amanda for only a moment then back to Sonya "It is nothing personal against you, please let me assure you this first." He smiled earnestly but his face became hard and serious afterwards "I am yakuza, and my father was Takamoto, Shogo. The woman you are venturing against…Lara Croft…" his voice tightened "Has made my father lose face many times, and has brought dishonor to our proud clan of Yakuza. My true name is Takamoto, Kaneda, and I am afraid that you cannot have the Oni Stone, for you see, it belongs to Japan, and as you are gaijin (outside, foreigner) you cannot just come into our proud country, and take what treasures you desire from Japan's people. In having many dealings with your father, I know you are ambitious and once you are focused on a goal there is no turning you away. So I have brought my loyal servants to ensure we have a very quick rectification if my wishes are not met exactly."

Sonya, still calm and collected, was putting everything together as he spoke. Her mind raced expertly as her photographic memory recollected everything small detail as they got to Japan. Her mind punctuating on key points as she did so…

_~Flashback from Chapter 10~_

_Amanda was happy to survive the remaining part of the train ride. It was a rather quiet ride back, neither gave the other more than a glance or a nod as they shared looks out the window in awe of the scenery. They checked into __**their hotel which turned out to be an old style dojo home from the meij era**__. Amanda was dumbstruck to say the least, this place smelled of the fine wood on the floors, sliding paper screen doors and lovely tatami room where __**kimonos were lain out for them already which they could wear around their home as they saw fit as a courtesy.**__ After fully exploring the entire place and getting to know the __**three servants that stayed there which consisted of**__**three people, a father, son and daughter.**__ The father introduced himself as simply Jubei, his son was Yoshiro, and his daughter was Kimiko. __**Jubei had a most interesting scar that went over his left eye and seemingly was sewn closed**__. Amanda was having fun guessing how it happened, a cooking accident perhaps or he was some kind of secret ninja from the feudal era. This brought her to giggle a little. After they settled in Sonya had suggested they start immediately and go right into what they were there for, the Pendragon Stone. __**Sonya **__**told**__** Amanda that the shrine was not on a map, because it was a place for those who sought wisdom to go to, and in the ancient feudal era it was place where many came to center themselves before great battles or who sought enlightenment.**__ This place was even known to train priests to exorcise demons._

_~End Flashback~_

Sonya's eyes flitted back and fourth behind her pitch black sunglasses. "Of course…." She muttered softly, yet matter of factly. "Two males, one female, the old dojo accommodations, Yakuza, and **that** would explain why the ninja are here now. You have been busy 'Takamoto'" she stressed his true name with obvious distaste "So you had us stay in one of your family homes, left us clothing to wear so your ninja could check our clothes freely behind our backs, your ninjas…Jubei, Yoshiro, and Kimiko I presume? This leads me to realize, the look of the articulate atmosphere, and how that home retains its apparent original state as if it were built only a few years ago. The build and make of the home was from the meji era, which means _**they**_" looking at the ninjas again "Are of the Yagyu clan. The father, must be the new clan head, as the son inherits the name of the leader. Yagyu, Jubei…the scar to show your status, sewn shut…as a trademark in your clan, as the first of the clan only had one eye…and of course the three of them eavesdropped on our conversation that night as I told Amanda aloud about which exact shrine we were going to. In conclusion, upon my telling **you** where I needed to be when I arrived here, you accommodated me by sending me to the closest home you had, and had everything else set up, not knowing what I was looking for, but you knew that my father was deeply involved with Lara Croft and therefore you kept closer ties with me, sent me a few servants to my home in Austria as sign of respect to assist me after he passed away. I allowed more of your ninja into my home to report back to you. I am now realizing you were spying into my home even back then, and you have spied on me since. Waiting for the day to get your revenge on Croft, and coat tailed on my treks to help you get there. Brilliant…" she was infuriated inwardly of course. It was so easy since she was so hell bent on plotting her own plans against Lara. She has been concentrating way too much on her personal goals, Amanda's dream, and Amanda romantically. She cursed herself for being so blind, and getting them both into this position.

Amanda was awestruck at the amount if information that Sonya just laid down, if this Von Croy, her father, was who taught her. Then there was no question as to why Lara has been so fortunate. No…not fortunate…she corrected her thoughts 'well trained' and educated by a formidable master. Amanda had come to realize right then, that it was not she who was Lara's equal or rival, but Sonya. It was always Sonya, Amanda never had the conviction that Lara had, Amanda had limits, and she was not on the same level of obsessive that Lara was. Amanda's obsessive nature was extremely narrow, she only wanted and breathed achieving her dream of Avalon, and focused on no more than that. Now, here was Sonya, next to her. Sonya obviously had such a broad spectrum of ideals and realizations that made Amanda look infantile, and yet she expressed such a deep intelligent side that was not at all apprehensive, but caring, knowing, open minded, and well learned. How wise, powerful, and accurate a woman Sonya was as she stood there, unmoving, unaffected, strong poised and confident. Amanda's heart at that moment thumped hard for several moments as if she received an adrenaline shot directly to it.

Sonya's hands still remained glimmering with the deep crimson aura of Egyptian power. She brought the right hand up and removed her own sunglasses and placed them in the deep of her cleavage. Sonya's crimson eyes, now unhindered, and unashamed of being seen by her advancers.

Takamoto's three ninja gave obvious alarm to seeing this and muttered 'oni' (demon/devil) to one another quickly. Takamoto himself seemed un-phased and expected this with no surprise which confirmed that his associated spies did in fact infiltrate her home. He smiled slightly and cleared his throat as a signal, Yoshiro drew his sword and stood in front of Takamoto and taking stance. Trained in the way of the Yagyu swordsmanship, he stood poised ready to read any movement of their bodies. Takamoto now took his left hand from his pants pocket and waved once. "Thank you for your cooperation Von Croy-san. I am sure you understand. I have also taken the liberty of having our local temple priests leaving spiritual wards around this area. I have provided them things from your home so they could understand the demonic trace within you. It is to make sure of course, that you behave yourself and respect our country, and more importantly **me**." Reaching into his jacket pocket and taking his sunglasses back out, placing them on slowly as he turned his back to her, and walked into the temple with Jubei and Kimiko right behind him.

Amanda's heart was pounding heavily now, pumping pure hatred through her veins at his disrespect of Sonya, and to take things from her home no less to use against her! Amanda could not believe that Sonya stood there so quietly and just listened! Her blue eyes flashed over at Sonya, and blinked in unexpected surprise to see Sonya's red sockets staring back at her.

"What the Hell are you waiting for?" Sonya said very calmly and collected in French knowing that true Japanese would not care for other cultures but their own out of pride. "They took proper precautions to protect themselves from an Egyptian Demon, but as I recall, what **you** have is not Egyptian. So please make haste and get your special friend to get rid of these damned wards around me. Your wraith is spiritual in nature, and therefore could sense them out as if they were glowing in the dark, where as I cannot. I will then handle…" her face turning towards Yoshiro who was none too pleased they switched up languages, but knew they were making a plan of attack and started moving his foot deeper into the stone beneath his feet. Sonya cracked her knuckles "teaching a Ninja how to regret birth."

Amanda used her stone instantly and mentally gave it the command to get right to it and destroy the wards that would incapacitate Sonya's powers. The wraith shot from her growling as it lunged for Yoshiro who back flipped out its way throwing six kunai daggers at it, which of course, went right through it. It was then that he realized he was not being attacked but distracted! His eyes went over to where Sonya was and soon saw he was right, she was gone and so was Amanda. His eyes narrowed as he cursed himself and ran to the left where Sonya would have been standing. She was the more dangerous of the two.

Sonya ran and slid down a section of grassy hill on her back rolling into some bushes to get her bearings. There was a well trained ninja hunting her, a tracker, and assassin. "He will be here any minute…." She knew that ninja follow the traces that people emit from their bodies, their ki flow (spirit energy). She stood up and walked out into the open of the grassy area she had slid down into. As she thought, he dropped down from the sky landing near her, and stood slowly. She was indeed correct, he did come after her.

"Shine'!"(die!) he barked and pointed his sword at her and spoke in stressed English through his accent "Yew, wut haff live if yew juso stay still!" he was not at all pleased they disrespected his master by not doing what he told them to. "Yew no run now."

Sonya tilted her head, and then shook it at him slowly. "I wasn't running from you in **fear** boy." Her thick accent smoothly bringing words out managing to still hide her emotion. "I was buying Amanda time to rid me of your pesky wards."

And at that Sonya and Yoshiro heard Amanda's voice in the distance scream out "I got them Sonya! Where are you?"

Sonya hated Amanda's tact, just like a horror movie, screaming aloud gave your position away to the enemy. She thought to herself '_Stupid Blonde._' Never once taking her eyes off Yoshiro who now realized he made a fatal error in chasing the wrong one. "Sayonara" Sonya's eyes glew more than usual as she muttered something inaudible. Yoshiro stepped forward to lunge his sword into her in attack, and then it happened. His eyes began to bleed rapidly, and his nose and ears bleed as well. Sonya's hands still were glowing and now they matched how deep her eyes were. Veins in his body began to burst, as if his flesh betrayed him, teeth fell from sockets, his jaw loosened itself from the skull and fell away. His hand dropped its sword and took the fingers that were wrapped around it with it to the ground. His arms left him, his knees caved under his weight, and as he took a deep breath due to the searing pain, his rib cage made a sickening pop as his entrails spilt out before him. His useless body fell into his own sinew and guts with a finalized wet thump. Sonya stopped muttering at this point and her hands stopped glowing, her eyes lessening in their deeper glow since she felt a bit more satisfied now that one of the bastards were dead. She walked over and stood over him with unreadable expression once again and said aloud softly. "Not all of us show our emotions on our sleeves, just because I was quiet didn't mean I wasn't seething. You have to hide your emotions better Amanda."

Behind her in utter silence stood Amanda frozen in place at the spectacle she just paid witness to. The wraith floating in mid air motionless awaiting command from its master. Amanda knew Sonya was speaking to her, but could not formulate words properly, or was it she could not muster the will to say them?

The silence made Sonya turn around thinking Amanda was perhaps wounded or being held captive by one of the other two ninjas. "Are you well Amanda?" she asked concern written in her voice and looking over her for signs of stabbing, blood, or any evident harm. "You…ungh!" Sonya winced in pain as Amanda ran into her fast and hard, burying her lips into hers hard enough to hurt Sonya's nose a bit and her breasts at the force that she came against her. Then it was the realization afterwards that Amanda had her arms around her neck embracing her possessively as she was being kissed deeply by the blonde, Sonya felt the warm tongue pry through her own lips, and it was not long before Sonya wrapped her arms around her waist tightly and returned it.

Amanda stopped kissing her and buried her face into her neck wiping her tearing eyes into it "I thought you were hurt…oh God….when you didn't answer me!" she sobbed softly. "I thought…." She stopped speaking and just enjoyed listening to Sonya's breathing for awhile as she gathered herself, breathing was the sign of life, Sonya was fine "These fuckers are going to die…." She muttered deeply under her breath through clenched teeth. Amanda felt Sonya's arms enwrap around her tighter and hush her softly.

"Yes Amanda, they will…." She said just as calm as before, kissing Amanda's left ear softly once. "They have no idea what Hell is yet, but I plan and introducing such a death upon them that it even the Devil would turn his face. Here she let her go and pushed her away softly "We must make haste, come." She nodded as she walked past hurriedly making her way back up the hill towards the steps.

Amanda wiped her eyes hard once nodding back to her as she followed Sonya. Upon getting back to the steps they quickly regained themselves back to the top where they were a moment ago and started in towards the temple. Amanda sent the wraith ahead to sense the life traces of where their new enemies went, and for any other friends they should be ready for.

Sonya walked steady, a mission in each step, almost a march as she entered the temple. To her she could hear the whispers of the ancient Egyptians echoing through her mind when she really starts using her magic, and using it was exactly what she planned to do. When they came to a dead end in a hallway after 20 minutes, she looked at Amanda who was already pointing to a solid wall and signaled to Sonya silently that it was a false one. When Sonya waved her hand, it eroded into tiny granules of sand to reveal the wraith floating there patiently waiting for its master's next order. "Where now?" Sonya whispered to herself, but loud enough for Amanda to overhear. Again, the blonde did not disappoint her, Amanda pointed again down to the left, and they started their decent until they heard the voice of Takamoto get louder and louder. It wasn't until they got right around the corner is when they stopped to overhear him.

"There seems to be another wall here Jubei." Takamoto sighed heavily, his anticipation was building, he was not quite sure of this place, his ninja were his guides to see through any traps or surprises. He was focused on that wall when he noticed that Kimiko had spun around abruptly and threw two kunai daggers down the corridor to the corner where she and Amanda hid. Takamoto turned fully around and smirked "You are persistent Von Croy-san." He gave Jubei a horrid look of disapproval that his son seemingly failed, which the head ninja clenched his jaw in embarrass at this in front of his master. "Looks like Kimiko is on her game today." Takamoto dug into the wound of Jubei's son's failure, and then looked at her "Please, kill them, do not limit anything in regards to your skills. Make it quick, we cannot afford another failure."

Kimiko nodded curtly and stealthy stayed to the walls in shadows as she closed distance to her prey. She could sense where they stood, and how they were poised around that corner. She silently took out two spherical ninja bombs, and gave them a tight squeeze to start the chemical inside them to explode on impact after she'd throw them. Almost there, two feet from the corner, she quickly raised her right hand to throw the bombs to make them bounce off the opposite wall to where they stood. Suddenly though, two black smoking hands came out the wall and wrapped around her small framed body so quickly that she squealed in surprise. Her body was then pulled against that very wall **hard**, several times until her body made wet crunching sounds. As she was dropped she saw the wraith come out the wall and not even look down at her, but glide over her towards its next mark. Her eyes fading, she thought that she too failed her master, and her hand opened, the two bombs went off with two loud smacking sounds. Kimiko was on her way to Hell.

Jubei spun around and drew his sword after he heard the sickening thuds of his daughter being crushed into a wall. He saw the wraith rampaging down the hall towards them. Takamoto screamed and pushed Jubei ahead commanding him to kill it. Jubei took stance, and swung true his family sword. It went right through the wraith which reached out and ripped both his arms off his body as if he was paper. Jubei screamed loudly echoing through the halls. The scream of a dying man in pain, and the wraith took his clawed right hand, and ripped Jubei's jaw from his skull, and then palmed his skull with the left and turned his head backwards to face his master before the body was tossed with a loud thump against the wall behind Takamoto who had fallen onto his backside wetting himself. "What….what is this?" he screamed with terror true in his voice.

"**That **is how you kill a ninja Takamoto." Sonya walked up through the blood ridden flooring of the corridor and past the wraith who was now lunging at Takamoto. Sonya smiled when the wraith stopped instantly and knew that Amanda was not going to deny her this savory revenge. Amanda's blue eyes were narrowed behind her piercing the darkness, hatred gleaming out of them that rivaled those of her creature pet. Sonya squatted down and put her hands on both sides on of his skull and stared deep into his eyes, "You will not enjoy this you miserable flesh bag." She held him there true like a vice, her hands emitted the red light that started filtering into his body, through his skin his skeleton glew brightly as he started convulsions and kicked like a dying donkey, she held him true. "You DARE enter MY home!" she hissed and started chanting deeper, unlike the other chant, this one had many other voices echoing behind her own. Sonya gripped his head harder, his screaming intensified. Out of his mouth started a slow pouring of golden scarabs which tore open his ear holes as they exited from there, tiny first, then bigger ones. They started eating him from the inside, devouring him whole, encompassing their feast. She then dug her thumbs into his eyes, and her magic sent a glowing crack up the middle of his skull, where she then tore it open to expose his yet uneaten Brain. The scarabs made for it greedily, and after a moment more, not even his clothes were left where he was once held. They cleaned off even her fingers of his blood. Sonya stood up and sighed VERY slowly and seemingly enjoyed it.

Amanda walked up to Sonya's right side, not as shocked as she was before and looked down to where he used to be. "Damn. They ate him. ALL of him. Are the scarabs going to be okay?" she smirked giving Sonya a quirk or her left brow.

Sonya looked to her left at the blonde on her left and smirked back "Not just him, but every spawn that he made with his seed. His bloodline has suffered for his infraction upon me. Not again will a bastard of his lineage grace my presence again." She stood up and walked off toward the wall where they were focused at before. "Is it through there?" she looked over at Amanda for assurance, and fully turned around to face the blonde while placing her hands on her own hips as she saw what Amanda was doing 'What the Hell?" she muttered.

Amanda was swinging a little string with a glowing orb with what seemed to be a dragon eye in the middle, glowing prism like with various colors. "This? I had him go get this while you were playing with your toy." She smiled ear to ear. "I had the wraith go through that wall and bust it down for me to go in and take the prize. The question is where do we go next? The Pendragon stone belongs to **us** now." She could not help but giggle as she stretched and yawned. "I want food, HOT food, ramen, stir dry, squid, tea, and a hot bath." She cracked her neck and looked at Sonya "What? Why are you staring at me like that? You are freaking me out!" she folded her arms across her breasts looking away from Sonya

Sonya who abruptly burst into laughter and shook her head afterwards, smiled and shrugged "Yes Amanda. You will have these things. You are a definite gem…" she laughed again and walked by her giggling from time to time on their way back out. What made it better is that Amanda didn't know why, but she was very humored at the thief that Amanda had become, she had to wonder who was truly the Tomb Raider, her or Lara Croft?

**Tokyo, Japan**

Lara could not believe what Valkyrie just said. What the Hell was she planning? Lara dared not ask from where she laid in her own blood soaked clothing with Odin still above her in the sky. She laid her head back on the flooring, and she felt her own slick blood under her, smelt the metallic scent that only blood could give off. Her head was spinning and she had no idea how much blood she lost. She heard Odin roar, a deafening loud roar, her ears went deaf, she could only imagine that she just went deaf for life. The decibel of the scream was so loud that all sounds were muted. The force alone sent her flying through the air and into the wall near her door within the room of the hotel. She smacked the wall hard, and fell down into the remains of one of her now dead attackers. She saw for a moment Valkyrie fly into a wall near her as well. She was right, the scream was a powerful one. She could not imagine the damage outside. "I'm….not doing well…' she muttered as she lost consciousness.

Valkyrie barely managed to stand up, she saw Lara shaking, she must be entering shock now she pondered, which means she didn't have much time. She walked cautiously back to the balcony, and looked up at the sky. Odin's armor was glowing, and his breathing was heavy, she knelt down onto one knee and lowered her head and hoped that he would not strike her down, a woman wielding the hammer of his son? She heard him grumble with great anger "Ykkar til fagna par argr proel! Vel safna afl! Fram til orrosta!" (Your to be glad there womanish thrall! Readily gather strength! Forward to battle!), and then lifting his mighty javelin into the air he cast a mighty glowing wind unto Valkyrie who felt as if she weighed a ton suddenly. Her veins jumped fast and pumped hard through her body, and then it stopped, and the sky was calm. She looked up and saw him gone, and was relieved that she still had the hammer, belt, and gauntlets. She didn't know what that was all about, but she was alive, and for now that is all that mattered. She stood up and shakily made her way over to Lara who was pale as a sheet, but alive. "Hang on." She spoke softly and then ran over to Lara's bag tearing out the ear piece and hit the call button. After 5 minutes she heard Zip.

"I thought you forgot about us." In a mocking cheery tone he was obviously eating something. "How's Japan Lara?'

'Not Lara, she's down. Send anyone she can trust NOW! She is going into shock and I don't think a hospital is going to work!" Valkyrie spoke quickly with urgency flooding her voice.

"Shit!" he slid his food away and started typing like a madman. "What happened? Fuck it! Tell me later!" he second guessed himself. This was not the time for explanations. Lara's life was in danger. "What the hell? Val!" unaware he called her this in his haste "Tokyo is all over the news, there was some kind of shockwave there. Half the city is in shambles….except for one hotel, and from what I see your signal is coming from, is where you are…at least 60 miles to all sides is destroyed….oh my God….and the nearest hospital has lost power! This is a mess!" his heart was shaking in worry now as he watched the news in Tokyo via his satellite connection as he typed away. What the hell happened over there?

Valkyrie's eyes shot wide open and looked over her shoulder as she held Lara firm in her arms on the floor with her. As far as she could see, there were shambled buildings and torn up streets. When Odin yelled….she thought. This was the result. What the hell was she going to do now about Lara though? Her eyes went down to Lara who's body temperature was dropping and her breathing was lessening. She closed her eyes and thought, what could she do? WHAT?

"Valkyrie!" Zip yelled suddenly into the headset. "The dagger! Use the dagger of xian! The Chinese dagger thing!" he was jumping up and down in his seat, he was told by Lara that the Italian stabbed himself with it and turned into a dragon, but that is all he had to go on right now. He needed time for Lara to save Lara's life, no matter what. "Do it!" he screamed.

Valkyrie's mind was racing, variables, questions, doubts, and sensibility of this. She laid Lara down again and tore open the bags and suit cases until she found it and took it out its holding. "Fine…" she ran back over to Lara and swallowed once and slammed the dagger into her chest.

Instantly, Lara saw light flood her eyes again, all sounds returned, her heart pumped hard. Then she felt a great burning inside, pain, and anguish. She screamed holding her chest and rolled onto her stomach holding her breasts tightly.

Valkyrie's eyes winced at what she was witnessing, and she took Excalibur into her right hand quickly and held steady the hammer in her left, ran and jumped out the window into the open sky. She used her shadow speed to build more speed and landed on a piece of remaining building, landed on another piece nearby, then tucked into a roll on the street and slid to a stop to look up to the room where she left Lara. A loud growl and then whipping and thrashing of a tail and talons tore what remained of the room to pieces. Lara, now a dragon tore into the sky roaring and flew into the smoke of the buildings out of site. Valkyrie was breathing deeply as she stood up, mind reeling on what she just saw. "Zip….what the hell did you just have me do?"

Zip who was watching through Valkyrie's earpiece camera which Valkyrie forgot was a part of the headset. "I saw it all Valkyrie…look, we may have a chance. I panicked, see, Lara told us the story about the Dagger of Xian right? She saw that Italian Marco something, turn into a dragon, but she also used that same dagger to defeat him. Get that Dagger, and we can plan the next move. There has got to be a way to save her, but at the time we had no time to think. It would have taken too long to get a chopper out there. "I am cross referencing things that can help us as well in Japan or nearby countries. Strangely enough, there is a myth in the Japanese systems that I hacked in regards to Dragons, there seems to be an ancient stone called the 'Oni stone' or by the 'Pendragon Stone' that may be able to help us.

"Where is it?" her eyes narrowing as she started using her shadow powers to scale back up the hotel building to go look for the dagger. "I'm getting that stone." She said finalized tone.

Zip didn't respond for a long moment as he gave her time to find the dagger. His fingers flying madly, Winston pacing back and fourth behind him in worry. Zip started hacking all info he could in Japan's databases. Then he came across an e-mail that was sent back and fourth referenced to the Oni Stone. "Who is Sano Tanaka?' he wondered as he already started figuring him to be a museum curator and then as his excellent hacker skills went to work he sat back in his chair abruptly his eyes wide as saucers "Ohhhhhhh shit!" which made Winston jump and run over to read over his shoulder, his own face paling a bit.

Valkyrie just found the bloody dagger and was gathering her and Lara's arsenal into a suitcase with the clothes she could salvage. "Talk to me Zip. What did you find?" she slapped a clip into her pistols and placed her holsters on her legs.

"Not what….but _**WHO**_….seems that I found the paydirt. Lara had this old yakuza dude named Shogo Takamoto she fought for years, until she took him down when she was gathering pieces of Excalibur. Well, that guy had a son, and that son has been apparently running in his dad's place trying to rebuild the family name I guess. Their yakuza is low though since Lara put them down and made them lose honor. His son, Kaneda Takamoto…has been working with a Sonya Von Croy as a travel agent. Werner Von Croy was Lara's old teacher, and if this is **ANY** relation to him, then she is in deep shit. Sonya Von Croy is working with our pal Amanda Evert, and they have been traveling a lot together. This guy Kaneda has a lot of detailed notes of their travel, and I guess its because he was using her to get to Lara some kind of way. They are in Kyoto, Japan right now. My guess is that they have the Pendragon Stone and if I know Amanda, she will use it for that damned Avalon."

Valkyrie stopped and froze in place as Zip unloaded this info into her ear. Her eyes squinted more and more until she took a deep calming breath and tied the last part of the strap on her back to carry Thor's hammer and placed Excalibur back into the guitar case. "Then they are going to find that their planned trip to Avalon is going to be postponed." She jumped out the window and ran off into the now start of a stormy night.

-**End Chapter 12.**

**Next in chapter 13- **A show down with Amanda, Sonya, and Valkyrie!

**AN**: Here are some more small updates:

~Shojo Takamoto was a boss in the Japan level of Tomb Raider Legend upon whom Lara had to take a piece of Excalibur from. Kaneda is a character I made to fit into why he holds a great grudge against Lara. He wants the piece she took from his father and her life for his. His honor and stature depends heavily on him succeeding if he will ever regain face in the yakuza community.

~I will be adding the next chapters through Nov and Dec. I will be at home a majority of December and I will be able to type away and progress this story. Thank you all for following this story! -Batman

(I put the wrong one on the site, this is the one with corrections to all grammar and punctuation. My apologies)


	13. Chapter 13

**Disclaimer:** I do not own anything in regards to the Tomb Raider franchise. Alas, this is a pity… this story is for the utter amusement, entertainment, and bewilderment of the fans who appreciate Lara as being one of the best games in the world! I have a new child coming into the family, and I've been buttoning down the batcave to receive my new addition. The Batman has Bat Jr. on the way. *does Bat dance* lol

**Author Notes:** I like getting into the part of the characters that you do not see. What happens 'in between' Lara's excursions? How does she interact with the people in her life when it is not over her headset?

**Chapter Thirteen:** "The battle that shall come to you is something that will shake you to your soul Atlantean Dog! It is said that when history is not taken heed unto, it **shall** repeat. Tihocan, you will die a most fit death!"

**Kyoto, Japan **_–two days later_

Amanda was singing as she was drove the rental car that she acquired to enjoy a good night on the town. Sonya stayed behind to plan their next move at the hotel in Kyoto, considering that they felt un-satisfied with the lodgings that turned out to be a ninja base for Takamoto, and well, since she and Sonya burned it down, they really had no further reason to stay. Amanda rocked her head she sang aloud in Japanese to 'Vanilla' by Gackt. She had just left a ramen shop, and went shopping for a few clothes. She was now wearing a black gothic Lolita dress, she thought it adorable, with garter belt under her dress that linked to black rose net stockings and buckled calf high boots. Black hair berets with skulls in her hair rose red lipstick. She was loving the attention that she was getting. When the song went off and the radio report started, she turned it up when they started reporting about the cataclysm in Tokyo. "What the fuck?" she muttered under her breath. It was like what seems to be ALL Japanese anime, Tokyo is being destroyed some kind of way! "Man, what the hell happened there?" she shook her head as she turned it to another station. "Oooooooh shit!" she started smiling as she came midway into the song 'SWITCH' by Lisa, Koda Kumi, and Heartsdales. She started switching her rear in the seat and drummed the steering wheel with her hands in rhythm "Only in Japan can you sing about an elevator ride and make it a bad ass song!" and then she started to sing with her favorite part "Life's what you imagine, kagiri nai uchuu no you de! Mitsuketa mono wa tatoe nakushitemo!" then everything got very bright, and then she saw the blurring of the city lights, and the moon for a moment before….

CRASH!

Her car was slammed into an office building which it spun around on its top as it landed upside down several times before slowing down to a stop. Amanda's stomach was thinking on betraying her at that moment, she unbuckled her seat belt and fell to the inner roof, the inside roof light digging into her left side as she slid out the broken window of the driver side door into the brightly lit store. People were gasping looking into the store, and the shoppers who were inside already were taking pictures with their cell phones. Amanda coughed and used the car frame to pull herself up and look around trying to get her bearings. She saw a blurry outline of a braided woman walking towards her "Lara?...' she shook her head hard twice before staring again, her eyes went from blinking confusion, to wide open realization and horror. "Oh my God! YOU!" she pointed at Valkyrie as she screamed at her.

Valkyrie walked steadily towards the blonde wearing a pitch black shiny cat suit that shimmered off the lights with every sway of her hips and motion of her body. Thor's hammer crackling with energy in her right hand, strong grip holding strong her weapon. That is what she used to send Amanda's car through the air, and she was not done using it. "You would do your best to give me that Pendragon Stone Amanda" Lara's voice with a deeper undertone escaped from Valkyrie. She was after all Lara's copy, and much to Amanda's dislike, she was bested by Valkyrie in China and she never quite got over that. "The stone." Valkyrie tilted her head, her glowing eyes piercing into Amanda's soul it seemed, the doppelganger of Lara Croft was not here to be nice.

"Fuck that!" Amanda gripped her stone and smiled "You don't have that bitch to hide behind like you did in China you fucking clone!" Amanda's eyes started going white as she channeled the power of her wraith stone, then her eyes just as quickly came back into focus as Valkyrie was now standing before her holding Amanda's wraith stone in her left hand. She had already forced it from her hands! That fucking shadow speed! Amanda's face colored into a deep red as the words 'Give it back!' were being formed, but sadly, a spinning roundhouse kick to the side or Amanda's head would prevent those words from being born from Amanda's lips that day.

Valkyrie watched Amanda fall to the floor with a smack, out cold. "Maybe next time, and I am better than an clone." She smiled and leaned forward to pick her up. She tucked Amanda's wraith stone into her cleavage and threw Amanda over her left shoulder so that the right hand could still keep the hammer of Thor within grasp. She was done with part one of her plan, and as she came into the street she saw a reporter not too far off reporting on the scene of what happened here in that street. "Shit." She muttered.

A large growl was heard all over the street, and the people who were on sidewalks staring at the spectacle were thrown into the air either in half on in a whole, and cast aside. Running towards Valkyrie was a black dog with unusually long and tipped ears, wearing golden accented armor on its arms, chest, and waist. The thing is that it was not a dog she realized soon, because it stood up on two legs to be almost 6'5" and backhanded a car towards Valkyrie. After it did so, it seemed to howl into the air like a battle cry.

The car was spiraling towards Valkyrie with such speed she had to drop Amanda to the ground and use her shadow speed to dodge. The car whooshed by into the wide eyed crowd and killed 14 people instantly as it kept going, bouncing off other cars in the street. Valkyrie cared not where the car went, but what the thing was that apparently was coming for her! "An Anubis warrior?" she whispered. Then a golden glint from her right side that seemed to be getting larger caught her eye, and she back flipped out the way barely being missed by it. She landed crouched at the ready for the next attack, and saw Amanda's body with a crimson glow enwrapped around it being carried off down the street, and placed on the ground next to a woman with crimson glowing eyes against the night sky. In the woman's hand seemed to be a glowing golden ankh of some sort. "Sonya Von Croy I presume?" she smirked as she asked arrogantly. Zip's info was top notch after all.

Sonya checked on Amanda and looked over at her. "Yes thrall, I am. I have been expecting, and anticipating meeting you, _**abomination**_. As you can see, I have taken precautions in the case I did meet you, too soon, in our journey. I hope Anubis's warrior will be challenging to you. After all, we made a special trip to Cairo, Egypt to get this just for you."

Sonya ran her hand over the golden ankh amulet in circular motions and the Anubis went to work.

Anubis's claws started whipping and slashing at Valkyrie in rapid fluid supernatural motions. Valkyrie's shadow powers were only seconds before his attacks, and she was using more than what she was able to replenish. She crouched down and allowed the Anubis to grab her by her braid, and her bait paid off, she swung Thor's hammer in an uppercut motion slamming into the Anubis's lower jaw sending his head flying off with a thunderous roar and crackle of energy afterwards.

Sonya had already gotten Amanda into an abandoned Nissan Sentra, and looked over just in time to see the Anubis die. Valkyrie was already running towards Sonya, her arm arcing back to swing her mighty hammer. Sonya smiled and waved her left index finger in a no-no motion "It's not dead yet." She waved her hand over the ankh again and the Anubis reappeared and started assailing Valkyrie again. "The Anubis is relentless, and for each time you kill it, another can take its place." She closed the car door and then faced Valkyrie as well, her hands emitting the same golden glow she did at the museum to throw golden spheres of destruction at the guards. Sonya threw one orb, then two, then two at one time for a total of four.

Valkyrie was once again using too much shadow power, once she would deplete it all, she would be at the mercy of Anubis. "Looks like I cannot keep kicking the pet, when I need to remove the owner." She then evaded the four orbs that were thrown at her, and now she smirked as well, and did a flurry of shadow punches into the Anubis's chest finishing her combo with a shadow powered roundhouse kick, this depleted her shadow powers completely, but at least it gave her breathing room, the Anubis flew and crashed into the very car that Sonya had put Amanda in. The car jumped a bit and a tire went flat, just as Valkyrie hoped the car would be damaged, and it was. She was not going to let them get away, and she knew that Sonya stuck around this long because she must have noticed Amanda did not have her precious wraith stone. "You should have chose a Honda, they are what can take a licking." She tilted her face upwards as if to look down at Sonya mockingly. "A shame that you cannot call Daddy to fix it hm?" she smirked.

Sonya's crimson eyes narrowed into slits and she pointed at Valkyrie warningly "You are a mere mockery of Lara Croft thrall, but know this for certain. No matter how hard you try, you will never truly exist or find a place to belong. Everything you **do** and **say** is because you were _programmed_ to do so. You are nothing but an animated answering machine to Lara Croft." She flicked Valkyrie off and smirked back, a bad habit she learned from Amanda.

Valkyrie's eyes now narrowed as she had a wicked curl appear on her lips "Well met, but I have a question. How terrible was it that your father had to eat out of Lara's father's hand to pay for his excavations. He was asked to take Lara as a student, and therefore his trips would be paid for? He must have had to perform many bed fellow tactics to be fed enough crumbs to keep his good name from becoming another forgotten pyramid in history. If not for the Croft's, one would have to wonder exactly how he would have found a place in this world, I mean, he did die alone, where were **you**? " her eyes narrowed as she popped her own neck back and fourth.

Sonya's eyes closed slowly as she took a deep soft breath at Vakyrie's insults. Unwillingly, her mind went back to that time when she told Amanda about her own past within her home back in Vienna, Austria. Her closed eyes played back her photographic memory with complete visuals and sounds, this is when having such a memory works against you instead of 'for' you.

_**~~Flashback~~**_

_During The Naming: (chapter 9)_

_Two months had passed since she met Sonya, and the two of them had gotten much over the trust issues between them. Sonya welcomed Amanda to stay in her home, and Sonya was also the one who opened up first, and told the tragic tale of a young Lara who left her father to die inside a tomb they were exploring. Then, she went on to explain how his heart was torn that his own student, his protégée, and disciple had ignored him when he found she was alive. How he toiled and ranted about her. Over the years Sonya confessed to great jealousy and resentment that he ever met her or heard the name Croft. Even Sonya, Werner's own daughter, was being outshined by a damn foreign British girl! The only person she had to admire her achievements coming up was her mother who had to give the attention of two parents. She went on to explain how he then started to distance himself in his own guilt and frustration as the years passed. How he went from sending a letter a week, to one a month, then to none at all, and ignored his family all together. Even in the end, he called for Lara to help him find some ancient paintings when he dealt with a man named Eckhardt. Not her mother who was broken hearted, not his daughter, but called LARA CROFT. Sonya's hands were tight and her toes tightened so hard that the very knuckles ached in her boots. Lara had broken her great father just by saying nothing to him at all! Lara accused him of leaving her to die, when she had left him first in the same damned predicament!_

_**~~End Flashback~~**_

Sonya opened her eyes, the 21 year old daughter of Werner who is always so composed and cool under pressure had met her end of patience. Sonya Von Croy, upon having such a memory re-surface, the pain of her father teaching a daughter that was not his, and the fact that her father ignored her and her mother's existence for so long…. "Bitch! I will make you BEG for Natla!" she threw multiple amounts of golden orbs at Valkyrie now, and her scream pierced the chaotic street as her eyes flooded with tears.

Valkyrie's shadow powers had a chance to replenish now as she went back and fourth with Sonya verbally. When Sonya was deep in thought Valkyrie saw that the Anubis was awaiting orders from Sonya, just as the wraith would do for Amanda. Valkyrie smiled at her own luck and used her shadow powers into her speed to run through Sonya's barrage of magical attacks. She slid onto the ground and went right through Sonya's legs and stood up behind her and elbowed her in the back of the head sending Sonya staggering forward in pain. While Sonya was still in arms reach. Valkyrie stole the ankh right out of her hand since Sonya's grip on it was lessened from the sudden pain, and Valkyrie raised her hammer to swing at Sonya's back.

"NO!" Amanda screamed from inside the car and reached out the broken window to grab Valkyrie by her braid and yanked it hard to make Valkyrie miss her arc with the hammer. The lightning shot into the open sky.

Valkyrie grunted and hissed at the same time, and immediately turned around to punch Amanda right in the face knocking her out again, sending her sprawling into the driver seat. Amanda's nose was bleeding as well as her mouth. Valkyrie spun twice in place building momentum, and swung the hammer at the car sending it flying through the air down the street into another store. "You gotta love window shopping." She smirked and whipped her sanguine braid over her shoulder. She now faced Sonya again who was just now re-cooperating from Valkyrie's attack to the back of her head. Valkyrie swept kicked Sonya sending her to the ground on her back, and immediately jumped on both her elbows trapping them between her heels of her boots and the street so she could not raise them to do her magic. At this point she put the hammer inches away from Sonya's face and held the handle with barely enough effort that if Sonya even tried to move she would drop it on her face and crush her skull. Valkyrie tilted her head back and fourth and had her own flashback.

_**~~Flashback~~ (Chapter 2)**_

_Natla, drowning in her despair, was calling out helplessly for thralls to come to her aide. Throwing out commands as panic and realization came into her mind, but it was all for nothing. Her death was inevitable. How she enjoyed watching the very life seep from Natla's wretched eyes, she could not help but smile that same inglorious quirk of the lips once again as she thought on this. Her eyes were wide with anticipation and excitement, the creator that had made her, and also that commanded her to kill the very mold that she was made into the image of, had asked for her to end her own life as well after her mission was complete. One word came to mind as her lips now started to purse into a frown of hated of her old master, 'bitch'. Then something strange happened after that, something she did not expect…_

_**~~End Flashback~~**_

"Now _**this**_ seems familiar…" Valkyrie smiled with the same exact smirk then, as she did when she watched Natla die. "No more play time. Talk." She spoke in a soft command, and it was no inclination that she would show pity or hesitation if Sonya wanted to be difficult.

Sonya could feel the electric pulse sparking at her face from Thor's hammer. A truly terrible weapon, even with all the precautions she took, this thrall made her and Amanda look like fools! Sonya turned her face away and made a decision not to die to a copy of Lara! That would be worse than going to Hell to her. She had to live, and she had to kill Lara Croft, that was indefinite. "What do you want?" she spoke through her teeth.

Valkyrie smiled and nodded once slowly "Good. Pendragon Stone. It's the latest fashion now you know. A girl must have it to feel…. herself." She smirked a bit with obvious hints of Lara all over her face.

Sonya shook her head slowly, and imagined all the work that her, and Amanda did up till now. "Amanda has it, in her purse. She kept it with her for safe keep. Take it, all I want is Amanda. She better be alive." Her eyes glared at Valkyrie suddenly as she said this.

"Well, when one lives reckless, you tend to end up wrecked. She is down the street in the car. She'll be right there when you wake up. Lara would want to meet you I am sure." She winked and with one movement had the hammer upside down and struck Sonya's left temple with the bottom of the handle sending her into unconsciousness. "Well, well. Amanda fancied herself a 'special friend' it seems." She walked off after making sure Sonya was truly knocked out. Then made her way over to the first store she sent Amanda into and searched the car for Amanda's purse. She found it, opened it, and found herself satisfied that she found the prize she came to collect. "I think I will hold on to this little wraith stone and their little golden ankh for now." She stood up and walked off placing the hammer on her back. She put her earpiece in and spoke "Zip?"

"Holy mother Valkyrie!" he retorted immediately. "I hacked into the traffic cameras in that location! You are Satan incarnate woman!"

"I suppose you would have enjoyed that show better if you were here?" she smirked.

"Heeeeeeeeeeelllll NO! I am staying RIGHT HERE! Oh and by the way? Do NOT bring that fucking wraith stone here! The last time Lara brought that shit here, Amanda came with….YOU and we lost Ali…." He stopped when Winston placed a firm hand on his shoulder and shook his head at Zip. Zip sighed and closed his eyes "She invaded Lara's home, and we lost a lot that day due to it." Zip nodded back to Winston in thanks for catching him. Zip was still sore about it, but he held true to what Lara asked him and did not blame Valkyrie for what happened that night. "I'm sorry Valkyrie, you know I don't blame you anymore. I have been tracking Lara via satellite. She is in…"

Valkyrie interrupted "Great Wall of China? And I know you don't. You were only recollecting the scenario from that night. No harm no foul."

Zip let go of a deep breath and smiled a little "Thanks, but no. Lara went to…." Here he sighed heavily. "You should know…the place that started her on all this…"

Valkyrie just got done picking up an abandoned motorcycle that was some distance away from the chaos of where they fought. She had just kicked the kick stand away and placed her feet on both sides of the bike and closed her eyes "Nepal….she went back there again…" she was hoping she was wrong.

"Since it was so damaged from the last time you went, you may want to take a helicopter. She took residence in that temple where that gate is that her mother vanished into…she is in there still….the dragon I mean….she cannot let go." He rubbed his forehead as he sighed heavily out of pity for Lara.

Valkyrie shook her head, Lara will always be the girl from back then it seemed. "Fine. Make arrangements. I have to go pick up Excalibur from where I hid it, and then arrange one of her private jets to take me there accordingly."

**Location unknown, underwater structure**

Tihocan sat upon his throne rapping his long fingers on the arm rests of his great chair. This all started when Natla deceived and betrayed him and his brother Qualopec! He was furious as he listened to the disaster of what happened to Tokyo, and knew that his creations had failed him. He went through so many efforts to help the humans find the keys that would lead them to their vengeance. It was the easiest thing to do, lead the humans to destroy each other. He gave the shamed son Kaneda Takamoto the name of Sonya Von Croy so many years ago, and told him that Lara was tied into that family. If he wanted revenge, then all he needed do was stay on her through her travels. After Amanda took over Natla industries several of her drivers and secretaries after Natla's death were assigned by him to watch Amanda closely, make sure she received Sonya's message that fateful day to meet her. He slammed his fists into the fortified chair and roared once in fury. Sonya and Amanda were given ancient weapons to give them the upper hand and they managed to be defeated still! He had arranged perfectly for Lara to be killed at that hotel in the lapse of time and the distance that Valkyrie was gone out after their fight. His creatures dead, Lara lived, and Valkyrie was able to save her. How **THAT** happened he doesn't know yet. 'How in the hell could these vile creatures be so ignorant?" he bellowed which echoed within his halls. The Atlantean creatures stood motionless in their places, eyes glowing as their creator and master vented. Tihocan was making a small army of servants to help him meet his ends. Then he would have them undergo a special process to provide them the illusion of skin. This is how he integrated them into this modern world. Natla messed up a lot o things by trying to bring her 'desired third age' upon this world. The midgard serpent in shambles, the resurrection chambers destroyed by the Croft Doppelganger, but it was not a complete loss, it killed Natla for him.

"Your scream has echoed even beyond the reach of the lower depths of this sacred place Tihocan." Qualopec's mechanized spider like legs led him into Tihocan's throne room. Qualopec was only whole from the waist up, he was maimed by Natla long ago, and that is why they banished her into exile into a prison they never thought she would escape. The legs lowered near Tihocan to the right, and the dried mummified brother looked at Tihocan and then away. "You're starting to get like Natla, when you lose control of the things you plan."

Tihocan glared at his brother and stood up to face him "Do not DARE presume to include my name in reference to hers! It was a mistake to even allow her to join us in power! Making us a triumvirate was the worst mistake you could ever have suggested, and because of it we lost so much! So before you cast your 'words' unto me, reflect upon yourself brother. What you perhaps was thinking with back then, is absent now, but have I ever called you less of a man? NO!" he shook his finger at Qualopec in fury.

Qualopec sat there quietly. His mummified form was still except for a slight movement of his fingers when Tihocan spoke to him. Qualopec awoken long ago after Lara took the piece of the scion from his tomb long ago (tomb raider anniversary), during the cave in he only just saw Lara escape with it. He had no way back then to give pursuit, he had to dig his way out which took him a year to do, and by then his precious scion piece was destroyed by Lara. "You have to use them, the Von Croy woman and Evert. It would be wise to take a direct hand in this at this point, Natla was not careful. We are." His mummified face looked up at Tihocan, empty sockets stared blankly at him, face no more than a skull with dried flesh. Only their technology was what allowed him to be animated, for Qualopec was already dead.

Tihocan shook his head as he paced back and fourth twice "They have failed twice already, and I do not favor wasting more time." He rubbed his 5 o' clock shadowed chin. His black hair was slicked back under his crown, black robes with golden accents to the floor. He sighed heavily. I honestly find myself at a loss currently, Croft has been favored by Fate for too long and I do not know what plans it has for us, I worry if Fate has turned its back on us brother."

"On **you, **to bemore precise, my dear brother." Qualopec corrected him "I have long died, and you allow this machine to keep my spirit here in this abomination. A mere mockery of my prior existence, a hallowed shell of what I used to be." His voice trailed off, Qualopec has held disdain for quite the long time about being left to this condition, and felt that Tihocan found some bit of gratification that he was less then him, and kept him around to mock him in his afterlife. Tihocan could have told him about the machine that healed injured immortals, the very machine that the Croft doppelganger killed Natla in. He confirmed it then, that Tihocan only had his own personal interest at heart.

Tihocan looked at his brother as he stopped rubbing his chin and rolled his blue eyes once "Are you done bitching Qualopec? I would not want to interrupt you in your pity party moment of bitchery. This is beyond you, so please, stop being so self absorbed." He turned his back and waved a hand dismissively as he walked out of his throne room, he had no time to hear this shit. He went to check on the progress of the birthing process of his army. He stood above the great deep chasm looking down the fire ridden walls that were full of fleshy eggs that hatched or pulsated with the life of his creatures. "If you want it done right…." He folded his arms behind his back and gritted his teeth. 'Kill them all yourself."

**Nepal**

Valkyrie flew her helicopter over the great chasm that she and Lara once ventured through not too long ago. Where she almost died, and Lara saved her life. She landed the helicopter on the other side of the chasm much against Zip's suggestion to land it behind the temple she was going to. Valkyrie knew that since Lara was a dragon now, she may not take too kindly to someone approaching the area she chose as her 'lair' for dragons by their nature were territorial. The fact that the dragon did not come out already only lead her to believe that it may have been sleep, but she found that a helicopter's noise not waking her was none too likely. She landed it and powered off the engines looking across the chasm as it now started snowing heavily. "I'm here." She spoke to her headset. She had in on when she entered the generalized area.

"I know, you have to be out your damn mind to _**not**_ land near that temple, and more out your damn mind to turn the engines _**off**_. If you need to make a hasty escape, what are you going to do? Ask the dragon to please wait a minute while the engines power up?" Zip's sarcasm was thick enough to make even him roll his eyes when he said it.

Valkyrie sighed once and gathered the hammer and the sword as she got out the helicopter. She took out a gun with a spear in it that had a metal cable attached to it. She aimed and fired over to the other side into a strong foundation wall. She pulled at it twice and then shot another spear into the earth under her feet to provide anchor to make the cable taunt. "If Lara…" she refused to call her just a dragon "Wants me, she knows where I am I am sure. Call it woman's intuition, because if she found her way here, then she has not at all lost herself and that proves to me that she is still just as cunning as she was before she was turned into her current state." She pulled up the thick furry hood of her coat. She took the strap of the hammer putting it around her right wrist, and placed Excalibur on her back snugly. Excalibur could be used by anyone, which was a plus for her. The hammer could not unless you wore the belt and both gauntlets. She nodded to herself as she attached a hook from her waist belt to the cable and started shimming across using her legs to sway and gain momentum. Her shadow speed made this easy and she cleared it in only a few minutes. "Time to start the party."

"Or a funeral service." He added as he drank a cold mountain dew from a can, and looked over at Winston who was sitting nearby, his hands worrying over a silver tray he had wiped at least 14 times now. He then looked back at his monitor and groaned "You better make it Valkyrie, I mean, I know you are Rosemary's baby and all but damn. You have limits."

"My limitations are not what define me Zip. I define myself by my actions." She unhooked herself as she reached the other side and looked around. It was quiet, way too quiet. "I need you to be silent now Zip. No distractions." She started walking around the left side of the temple, her hammer in her right hand tightly looking for signs of the dragon.

As Valkyrie walked cautiously around the back of the temple, high above her on the stalagmite ridden rock ceiling, two narrowed golden eyes were peering down at her, allowing her to make progress. The dragon was waiting for her to enter, for then it could encircle the building and trap its prey within. To blow fire through the top of the dome and make it an oven was the plan. Its eyes stayed narrow to prevent the glare of sunlight to send a glint off to its unaware quarry. As Valkyrie entered the structure the dragon's eyes popped wide open and dropped down immediately wrapping its serpentine body around the building, and placed its face into the top and roared as the fire welled up within its throat to spill into the empty building. It's face broke through the dome at the top as embers flew out the side of its mouth. It was almost grinning.

It was then that the dragon realized the woman was standing in the middle of the room looking up at it! Valkyrie swung the mighty hammer skyward. The bolt of electricity knocking its head straight up causing fire to spill uncontrollably everywhere melting snow and ice both as it roared in pain. The dragon coiled backing away trying to get the position of its enemy. Its lips shaking as it snarled furiously.

"Nothing personal Lara, but I don't care much for your new look." Valkyrie was standing on the back of its neck. She used her shadow speed when the dragon was reeling in pain. Again Valkyrie raised the hammer in a mocking manner of how Lara used it long ago when fighting thralls, and slammed it on the back of the dragon's neck causing its head to slam into the wetted earth beneath it.

It was here that Zip broke the silence "Use the dagger! Stab her in the heart!" he stood up at his console, his heart was one step away from either stopping or jumping free of his chest.

Valkyrie replied back "No."

"What the fuck do you mean no? The Hell you think you are going to do to save Lara? THAT is HOW to save her!" he screamed into the mic.

"And that didn't turn out too well either for Marco Bartoli did it? Zip, maybe you did not listen to Lara when she told us about that story once before. She defeated him by pulling the dagger OUT of him as it was still in him during the fight, when I stabbed her with it, Lara transformed instantly, but somehow the dagger was left behind. If the dagger was still in her, even if I pulled out then, she would have died. So there has to be a bit more tact in how this is handled, and so I find myself asking you again. I need you to be silent Zip. No distractions." She had a strong finalization in her voice. She thought back to what Amanda said back in China about the Dagger of Xian. She saw the dragon was stunned for now re-gathering itself so she had to think quickly.

_**~~Flashback~~ (Chapter 6)**_

Amanda injected seethingly "Oh and I WILL go! You just don't get it do you Lara?" she now started pacing back and fourth like a starved wolf marking its prey, the blue color returning to her eyes "We are NOT even, I want to kill you in the worst ways, even my friend.." holding up the wraith stone "Would be wasted on killing you! No Lara, your death? That will be GLORIOUS. I _**promise**_ you that!" she stepped forward again pointing her finger at Lara. Amanda's eyes shining wild and full of rage. "You are so STUPID; you don't even realize what you have. That little dagger you call YOURS? That is a tooth that was once Morgana le Fay after she became a dragon! She then took one of her own fangs and enchanted into that stupid little dagger in order to destroy Arthur and undo his round table. After fully enchanting the dagger she hid it inside of Pendragon crypt so it could not be used against her. Ironic, her powerful magic undone by her **own** powerful magic in the end, because that bitch Guinevere was the one who found it and pierced Morgana in the heart! The dagger was then sealed away and was not found until the 'First Anglo-Chinese War', or the more known term the 'First Opium War'. The Chinese then found the age old dagger, and saw the power that it held." here she laughed "I love the irony of it all really I do." she now stopped pacing and faced Lara, and now it was back to business it seemed.

_**~~End Flashback~~**_

Valkyrie's eyes opened slowly and stared down at Lara's dragon form with bewilderment as she thought aloud softly to herself and allowed to hear what she was thinking as she recited Amanda's words. "That little dagger you call yours? That is a tooth that was once Morgana le Fay after she became a dragon! She then took one of her own fangs and enchanted into that stupid little dagger in order to destroy Arthur and undo his round table. After fully enchanting the dagger she hid it inside of Pendragon crypt so it could not be used against her." Here she frowned a bit and then reached into her inner coat pocket and took out the Pendragon stone. "This must have been Guinevere's….and somehow may have used this to defeat Morgana.." she spoke aloud and then reached into her coat again to take out the Dagger of Xian. Valkyrie was thinking heavily now, her mind treading carefully as she tried to grasp what was going on.

Zip's face fell slack as he slumped back into his chair. Valkyrie was ingenious, he was wrong and he could have gotten Lara killed. He remembered now that Lara had her headset on when Amanda divulged this info to Lara in China. He forgot all about it. "Fuck….' He ran his fingers through his dreadlocked hair as he stared up at the ceiling. "Fuck…."

Valkyrie didn't know what to do now though, it made sense but it didn't. Her eyes closed as she mentally started accepting she was going to have to kill Lara against her will.

"It is no wonder that you befell Natla. She made you too well indeed Croft doppelganger." A voice spoke up breaking the silence. "Hear me if you want to save her." Were the words that followed next from the darkness.

Valkyrie looked over behind her slowly and raised an eyebrow. "What are you?" here special eyes making out a very weird shape in the darkness.

There in the darkness and snow was Qualopec watching there in silence, observing the outcome of this. His machine legs brought him out into the open slowly into the light. "I am Qualopec, one of the once proud triumvirate and keepers of the scion. Doppelganger of Croft, you amaze me….I have made many things myself in my days of old, but you…perhaps are a true sign of our arrogance thinking we were true gods, to think that we could create,…listen well. I will tell you what you must do, and as you have no reason to trust me. I will give you one, when I tell you what I will, you shall end me as only one of our kind can."

Valkyrie looked back down at the dragon and struck it again with the hammer to daze it once more. Then she turned her attention back to this mummy like figure before her "You want to die…" she narrowed her eyes, but not in suspicion, but in bewilder. "What gain do you have in this? Why help Lara and myself? When it was she that destroyed your scion, and part of the historical places involved with Odin and Thor?"

Qualopec was quiet as she spoke, then spoke in a tired wise voice "You are wise to ask, another trait that amuses me that you have learned so much…" he sounded very amused "Because, in death I have gained sight beyond life and see things to come. I saw what happened in Japan Croft Doppelganger. I saw you were graced with the presence of a once great enemy to us. You saw, and you spoke with Odin. I did not tell my brother Tihocan this…I have my issue against him, and I desire Tihocan to die a legendary death for reasons of my own. Now enough, you are free to do your own will, so I am asking you to do this. Take that dagger of xian, and place the pendragon stone at the end of Excalibur's hilt. Use Excalibur to cleave the dagger of xian in half destroying it forever, for now if Lara Croft was ever even nicked by that dagger's edge, she would be ended forever. Destroy what can destroy her later. Advice that was not offered to Morgana I assure you."

Valkyrie took the headset off and put it into her pocket. Zip was not good at listening for he was screaming into her ear again. This time he was screaming about how she should not be listening to Qualopec. She sighed deeply and nodded to Qualopec "Your advice is better than the idea I was starting to gather the will to do. Very well Atlantean, I will do this process, and then I will kill you as you wish. If I lose Lara, you die, if I save her you do. You have laid things out in a very proper way. You have nothing to gain, and I hear the weariness in your voice. Fine." She nodded.

Qualopec said nothing as he watched Valkyrie tie the pendragon stone to Excalibur's hilt which made the stone start glowing brightly as a sign that it worked. She then slammed the sword into the dagger. As she did so the dragon howled in agony and jumped in place once where it laid on its belly before the growl went deeper and deeper as its eyes dilated. Valkyrie jumped off the dragon and looked over at him for the next step. Qualopec's legs lifted him into the air and started bringing him close. "The daggers curse is broken, and Morgana's dark soul and magic is gone from this world forever. Place that sword under the dragon's claw Croft Doppelganger, and watch true magic.

Valkyrie nodded once and did as asked, the dragon's body started to shimmer at the blade was placed under its claw. The dragon started shrinking, and as it did so, its body became that of a naked woman lying in the mud that was once snow. Lara's hair was spread out as she laid there on her belly, her face a flushed red, and old wounds from prior battles were gone, especially her most recent ones in Tokyo. Valkyrie felt soft whispers come from Qualopec who stood over Lara now. His dried hands moving a bit as his fingers snapped as they moved in rhythm. When he was done, Lara started gasping for air and coughing deeply. Valkyrie took a deep proud breath and nodded. "Thank you Qualopec. If that is all, I will provide my end to you."

Qualopec turned and faced her and his dried lips could not move, but if they could he would be smiling. "Live free, creation known to this world as Doppelganger. I acknowledge you as a part of this world, and let no creature be it man or beast tell you your existence is any less than their own." Here he dropped a glowing metal disk "That is what you will need, kill Tihocan." He spoke and allowed the legs to lower him to her level. "Give me the name you have taken as your own. I want to hear it before I rest."

"Valkyrie." And she brought back the hammer swinging it dead into his chest smashing his armor plating to pieces, and then she jumped into the air with aide of her shadow power, and gripped both hands on the hammer and brought it down into his head and through his body until she landed on the ground in a crouched position. His mechanized legs danced wildly for a moment, and then collapsed inwardly as he was finally put to rest. Valkyrie slung her sanguine braid over her shoulder as she stood to her feet again and stared at the once living Atlantean "Thank you." she whispered picking up what he dropped for her, then turned away walking over to Lara who to her surprise was standing up with her arms across her breasts teeth chattering in the cold. Valkyrie took her own coat off and wrapped Lara in it, and hugged her tightly for a moment, she wanted to hug her longer, but she had to get Lara back to the helicopter to a heat source before she lost her again. "Welcome back." She whispered as she picked Lara up and made her way to the cable once again using her shadow speed to get back across. The helicopter was in a perfect position after all she thought to herself. If it were where Zip told her to land it, the dragon would have crushed it. "You'll survive this." She smiled over at Lara. She was already heading to the direction of the airport, a plane was ready, clothes were on it, and so was food. The next destination was Croft Manor in England.

Lara stared at Valkyrie from the co-pilot seat shaking still holding the jacket to her tightly. "I survived here three times now. I think I can call it quits in this place." She smiled back. "Bloody Hell! Work heat! WORK!" she slammed the console three times impatiently. "I feel ice in places a lady shouldn't!" she hissed.

-**End Chapter 13.**

**Next in chapter 14- **Lara's destiny is not exactly what she expected!

**AN**: Here are some more small updates:

~Finalization of where Qualopec ended up in Tomb Raider Anniversary after he became re-animated in the Tomb of Qualopec level after Lara grabbed his piece of the scion. Tihocan is all that remains.

~Thank you for the recent review **shegorocks001.** I was not sure if anyone felt this story was holding consistency and yours words gave me the encouragement to keep going! I hope you enjoyed chapter 13! -Batman

~To all who are still following this story, tank you so much for taking interest! Things are going to get a bit more interesting as the inevitable battle between Odin and Tihocan comes, and how accounts of revenge will be settled between Sonya and Amanda to get Valkyrie back for defacing them.


	14. Chapter 14

**Disclaimer:** I do not own anything in regards to the Tomb Raider franchise. Alas, this is a pity… this story is for the utter amusement, entertainment, and bewilderment of the fans who appreciate Lara as being one of the best games in the world! -Batman

**Author Notes:** I like getting into the part of the characters that you do not see. What happens 'in between' Lara's excursions? How does she interact with the people in her life when it is not over her headset?

**Chapter Fourteen:** "The mighty Odin sees all things! You think your army will save your pitiful hide?! I will plunge my great weapon into your black heart and leave TAR you wretched fossil!"

**Croft Manor, England**_–One month later_

Zip was working all day running information and cross references on all the stuff that Lara and Valkyrie had been looking into. They were going through the vault like mad communicating to him each item and to check for any ties to the Atlanteans or the Avalon legend. He was cracking his neck back and fourth and moaning, his dreads hung lazily to either side as he did so. He rubbed his eyes with the back of both index finger knuckles and yawned. "I am so fucking TIRED!" he moaned and plopped his head onto his desk. "Ow."

Through his headset he heard the deeper voice of Valkyrie come through. "You moaning and groaning as you are and I will start to think you were becoming a thrall up there." hearing Lara giggle in the background as she marked things off her clipboard.

Zip's eyes slid over toward his earpiece and narrowed. "How the Hell do you figure that? You should be down there singing, rhyming, or humming. Oh, how about this? Mirror mirror on the wall, who's the creepiest of them all? I dare to wager, I dare to say, that Valkyrie would win that any day. Voice so deep, tone so strong, tell me mirror, am I wrong?" he rolled his eyes as he plopped his head back down yawning again.

Valkyrie's voice replied "Oh, so YOU want to rhyme? How about…." Here she clucked her tongue "I tell you a story? I read this somewhere and I think you could relate to it. It goes like this…" she lifted a few boxes out the way for Lara before she went onto her story…

A flat-chested young lady read an article in a magazine that stated Dr.  
Bumbutu in Africa could enlarge your breast without surgery. So she  
decided to go to Dr. Bumbutu to see if he could help her.

Dr. Bumbutu advised her, 'Every day after your shower, rub your chest  
and say, 'Scooby doobie doobies, I want bigger boobies!'

She did this faithfully for several months, and to her utter amazement  
she grew a terrific D-cup rack!

One morning she was running late, got on the bus, and in a panic  
realized she had forgotten her morning ritual. Frightened she might  
lose her lovely boobs if she didn't recite the little rhyme, she stood  
right there in the middle aisle of the bus closed her eyes  
And said, 'Scooby doobie doobies, I want bigger boobies.'

A guy sitting nearby looked at her and asked ' Are you a patient of Dr  
Bumbutu's?'  
Yes I am.. How did you know?'

He winked and whispered, ' Hickory dickory dock...

Lara burst into tears covering her mouth at the obsceneness of the tale, and Winston coughed feeling quite unsure of how to even begin to say how improper that was.

Zip's left eye was twitching and his brow was deeply furrowed between his eyes. "Val…what the hell does that have to do with ANYTHING in regards to me? Were…were you just telling a joke? What the HELL are you trying to say?"

Valkyrie smiled in a most devious fashion flipping her sanguine braid over her left shoulder "Well, all in all Zip. It doesn't need to be a rhyme to send a message. Either you are _**born**_ equipped with a good tool or you spend most of your life _**being**_ the tool. If you would understand it better I will give a rhyme right back to you. Hickory dickory dock, try not to be such a…"

Lara interrupted quickly "Valkyrie! A lady just must not adventure to such lengths!" she coughed shaking her head wildly in a plea to stop.

Valkyrie sighed softly and shrugged her shoulders. "So let's just leave it at that then shall we? Righty-o and all that."

Lara was wiping her eyes with a tissue trying to fight off the deep blush of her cheeks, and Winston being the distinguished gentleman that he was, found that he had errands to do, and this was also to help save Zip's dignity.

Zip just sat there, mouth wide open. He could not believe that this doppelganger just dissed him like that. This wench was getting more and more either like Lara or had gone way beyond her. "Yeah….I think I'm going to check into seeing if I can track Amanda and this Sonya character." He cleared his throat as he turned to his screen now typing away.

Wiltshire, **England**

Amanda was not at all too talkative since Japan, every time she gazed into a mirror she saw the cuts and bruises on her cheeks, arms, and legs from the shards of glass that flew about while she was sent twice window shopping trapped inside that car. She and Sonya were in England one week now, and she still was fuming over the ridicule that Valkyrie laid upon her and Sonya. She sipped a latte that she asked Sonya to get along their way as she now sat in a grassy area off the main road. They had done nothing but drive since they arrived in Wiltshire. She was still deep within her thoughts as Sonya walked over and sat next to her.

Sonya too was not much on words, she was humiliated that she let the foul creation under her skin making her lose her cool demeanor. She had a bandage around her neck where Valkyrie had left a knot with an ice pack underneath. She felt as if she not only let herself down, but her mother, as well as Amanda. "You going to say anything?" she regretted asking that, it was a stupid question and knew Amanda would point that out, but Amanda gave no response. Her blue eyes looked at Sonya for a moment and surprisingly Amanda leaned in from the left placing her head into Sonya's left upper shoulder. Sonya took in a short breath softly before snaking her left arm around Amanda's waist pulling her a bit closer. "You must be really in a foul mood." She attempted to jest.

Amanda ignored her jest, or didn't hear her make it "I was thinking. Is it worth it?"

Sonya's eyes widened, she knew Amanda was sulking as much as she was, but to ask if her dream of Avalon was worth it? Sonya found herself deeply worried. "Amanda! Do not give up on your dream of…"

Amanda shook her head "No, not that. I was wondering if-" she sighed heavily "I lost someone I loved deeply once. James…he helped me find the original piece of what eventually became Excalibur. He faced off with Lara…and he lost. The bitch just keeps on taking everything…as if it was all hers to begin with…" her eyes watering a bit. "I don't think I could suffer if I lost you too in all this bullshit. We were strangers, then we were friends…." She sighed heavily and wiped her face into Sonya's shirt.

Sonya found herself smiling as she kissed the top of Amanda's head. "You honor me, but I have no intention of dying. You will not lose another friend you cared for dear, but the sentiment is very well regarded."

Amanda laughed for the first time even if it was softly "Idiot. I loved James, and that is why it hurt so much when I lost him." She lifted her face and used her free hand to wipe her eyes. Her eyes fell on Sonya's slightly frowning expression which Sonya's face slowly came to change as a wave of shock fell across it. Amanda smiled softly "This is the first time I seen you to be the one who was slow." She shook her head as she stood up dusting off her bottom of grass. "We have one last chance to stop her, if we can't KILL the bitch, then we may be able to at least make her disappear."

Sonya watched Amanda stand silently, and her eyes followed her as she walked away. Sonya again, was at a complete loss for words. She stood and followed Amanda back to the car where Amanda waited for her to catch up. Sonya opened her mouth but no words came for awhile until she said "Wha-what do you mean disappear?" she unlocked the trunk and rummaged through a cooler for an iced bottled water. She needed to cool down a bit.

Amanda's eyes followed Sonya as she did this and found herself smiling. "Don't tell me I have **you** hot and bothered yet again Ms Von Croy." Amanda smiled more "**You** being Ms insistent and bold as you were should have known that your charms would break the unbreakable eventually. We will have our time Sonya. You and I…." here she blushed deeply "But business before pleasure this time. I know where Lara will end up, where this will all end. Stonehenge. It will be there that we wait for Lara and her mirror bitch. I….we will have our chance….darling." she muttered softly and was relieved that Sonya heard her through that low mutter for Sonya went deathly still as she drank the water. 'Message received Amanda thought' "We have a lot to plan for. Let's get started." Getting into the car as she started dialing numbers on her cell phone.

Professor Worth's King Arthur Museum,** England- **_Two days later 10:15pm_

Lara slowed her motorcycle down and took her sunglasses off. "Oh, smell that sweet air Valkyrie. Home is such a blissful thing." She smiled enraptured with the scenery and the moment. "It seemed as if it were only yesterday I was fighting a distempered serpent down here." She added nonchalantly as she took Excalibur off the side of the bike where she made a special bracket to hold it.

Valkyrie who was sitting behind her on the bike let Lara's waist go and cracked her neck with her left hand. "Indeed, your home is beautiful." She got off the bike to stretch her legs. "So, are we to do as planned at the great stone circle after this little excursion?" she smirked knowing Lara's pride in her country would be lit. "This place….I seen it in a memory of yours, didn't I?" she placed the hammer of Thor upon her back after unzipping her leather jacket that Lara provided her.

"If you are referring to going to Stonehenge being the excursion?, The answer is yes. According what Zip found out we will be heading there when we conclude the business here. You still get flashes of my past?" looking out the corner of her eye for a moment. "That's got to be a pain luv, after all, seeing things you never did, and knowing things that you know you shouldn't. Can't be all that fun."

Valkyrie nodded once and followed Lara towards the museum. Lara stopped and closed her eyes, she knew Lara was perhaps reliving a memory here. Zip was insistent on not being able to support them here for some reason. It was Winston who later told Valkyrie that it was one of the places that Alister was once with Zip and Lara.

Lara sighed softly and held up her index finger of her right hand "Give me one moment please." She asked as she tilted her head skyward and took a deep breath.

_-Flashback-_

_Lara remembered meeting Zip and Alister, who were waiting in the van. Zip asked Alister if he was sure about the map. Alister said that he was, although there was some nonsense about the discovery of the King Arthur's real tomb, but soon discredited, and another roadside attraction was born (meaning Professor Worth's King Arthur Museum, where they met Lara)._

_Later in the tomb…_

_Lara remembered entering the Temple. Alister asking what she is looking at and she replied a myth, except it is real. As she passed in front of the tombs, she said that they are all there - the court of Camelot. Alister asks if she was sure and Lara replied that she has no doubt about the authenticity of this tomb. She approached a statue which is surrounded by a lighted shield. Lara said that there was not only one Excalibur or one Merlin. They keep seeing swords and dais in all over the world, simply because they are everywhere. In their case, their Merlin was killed and their sword was left in pieces._

_-End Flashback-_

Lara's eyes moistened a bit before she looked over her shoulder finally at the silent Doppelganger "Good times those were." She huffed playfully. "Well, let's go. I have to revisit good old 'kingy' and that water 'thingy' that guarded him. No doubt in my mind it still remembers me…" she winced at the look the serpent beast once gave Lara as she escaped. "I bet it has a very long memory." She sighed.

Valkyrie snorted "You seem to have that effect on people…or things." She smirked. Let's go make Japan proud and make a dish out of this thing."

Lara shuddered "My dear, if you saw this thing…you would not think on how it would taste."

Valkyrie shrugged and kicked the door in "Eat or be eaten they say." Walking now into the museum.

Lara shook her head a moment and muttered "Just don't apply that to me and we will be fine."

It took a better part of 2 hours for Lara and Valkyrie to re-navigate where Lara had once been before because it had caved in to great length so there were other paths they had to be inventive about taking to get through. After swimming through the waterways where many coffins resided, Lara wished there were coffins that she could stand a lot on as she once did before. Having Valkyrie there was a plus with her shadow powers she was able to shimmy down the slicker walls and reach down or through to help Lara through tougher areas. Eventually they arrived at the broken gate that Lara once shot down as a barrier to separate the sea creature and herself. "This is where things are going to get really ugly." Lara glanced at her. "If it doesn't already know I'm here, it won't be happy to find that I came to pay another visit." Taking out a small blow torch she burned through two of the segmented bars and allowed Valkyrie to pry them open enough to slide through. As they ventured to the bottom and found the grand lake where the broken bells that Lara once used to distract the monster was. Her skilled eyes started gazing upon the murky water carefully. No signs of ripples, no hint of a shadow underneath, nothing but dead silence. "Oh dear…" Lara whispered "I think it is waiting on us…"

Valkyrie walked past Lara suddenly casting her leather jacket aside and drew the hammer of Thor off her back. "We have 'these' this time." Referring to Excalibur and the hammer "If you bring the booted feet, a worthy ass will await them. So, time to kick some ass." She quirked an eyebrow as she went down to the water edge as she saw old bullet casings all over the place where Lara apparently had a gunfight.

Lara's mouth fell open slightly as she whispered urgently "Blast it Valkyrie! We must be cautious!" and no sooner than these words escaped Lara's lips there was a burst of water and a deafening shriek. "Confound it all!" she muttered disapprovingly.

Valkyrie ignored Lara's protest and smiled a little despite herself when the creature popped out the water trying to claim the element of surprise. Valkyrie was already in mid spin as the creature shrieked, and as the creature's face calmed after its battle cry it was then that Valkyrie released a shock burst from the hammer which hit the creature dead in the face causing it to be cast back into a stunned state of pain. Valkyrie wasting no time spun again and this time threw the hammer at the creature's head. No sooner than she let it fly from her hand she used her shadow speed to jump over the protruding rocks that were above water. The hammer went right through the creature's neck, and just as quickly she was behind the creature already to catch it with her right hand.

Lara stood there utterly stunned, she had such a time with this creature and Valkyrie made it seem as if the thing was standing still. She was torn between awe and annoyance, which was to be expected, she was human.

Valkyrie ran up the creature's back as it bled from the new neck injury and soared into the air above it. As she could go no higher she flipped forward once in the air, and sailed down with the hammer above her head in both hands slamming it through the creatures skull sending it quickly into a sharp rock that was in front of it which impaled through its thick skull from the bottom for good measure. Valkyrie landed in the water of blood and guts, swimming deeper as she swam towards Lara now going through the cleaner water as she distanced herself from the fallen beast. She planned to wash herself off by doing this as she made it back to the bank.

Lara saw Valkyrie's glowing eyes as she came towards the water surface. As her head emerged from the water she brought herself out, wiped her eyes of excess water, and then ran her right hand from the top of her head to the back pushing water out. Her left hand did one solid drain motion down her braid before she flipped it over her shoulder behind her again. "Lovely day for a swim." she winked placing the hammer upon her back once again.

Lara sheathed Excalibur and started towards the underground fortress that would lead down into the tomb of King Arthur. She didn't like what she was thinking and the way it made her feel at the moment.

Valkyrie was surprised Lara had no retort to her remarks. She knew Lara was a bit worried about the creature's rage after all this time and thought it would be better if Lara was unharmed so she could concentrate fully on the task before them. She felt these cool vibes from Lara however, and being Lara with the flaws removed she knew all too well that Lara was feeling a bit in-efficient after that show. 'So much for taking the initiative' she thought.

As Lara slid down the rope she tied a the top she went over to where the giant broken bell was laying that she once used to break the golden crystal that encased Arthur's body. "We are going to need this…" she never told Zip or Valkyrie what she was looking for because she knew that being Tomb Raider, others would not always see you eyes to eye when it comes to 'needed things'. She climbed up the crystal rubble and reached up with both hands towards Arthur's head and removed his crown from his skull and then turned away and jumped down.

Both of Valkyrie's eye brows went up simultaneously. "You are just going all out aren't you?" she smiled wickedly. "A girl must have the complete set." She laughed.

Lara shook her head as she removed old hair from the crown as she wiped it off before placing it into her backpack. "I had to think about it. Last I was once here, Alister and I noticed that wekept seeing swords and dais all over the world, simply because they were everywhere. So in this case, 'our' history of 'our' country, our Merlin was killed and our sword was left in pieces. Arthur's crown which was integral to his position as much as Excalibur was went to death with him. The ruling symbolisms were the sword and crown which represented royalty. I think this crown will allow us to use a doorway to get to his kingdom, Avalon, Camelot, whatever you want to call it. I think there is a portal here that I may now be able to use." She sighed hopefully as she started looking around. "There is a bit of untold history, unrecorded I am assuming mind you….that his crown was once stolen and he sent his knights high and low to find it. There was no way to know for sure today how long it was before he got it back. It was however 'who' brought it back that is relative to this twist. A woman, born of nobility but not of royalty somehow got his crown, and brought it back to her king." Her eyes falling upon the broken crypt of Bedivere. I read the inscription upon this stone last time I was here, and it was this that made me think. Bedivere returned a fragment of Excalibur to Arthur after the other pieces were carried off by the knights. This fragment was left with Arthur to help him leave this mausoleum when the time came." She looked at Valkyrie who was nodding approvingly to Lara's thinking.

Valkyrie looked skyward "So you have the sword…. you will be recognized as Arthur as I was Thor to Odin because I held the weapon. Fucking brilliant Lara." She grinned at the intensity of the thinking of the Croft woman before her. This was it, the final pieces…near the end of the journey…then she and Lara could close this infernal book about this Avalon crap and move on to kicking some Atlantean ass.

Lara took the crown back out her pack and slowly placed it upon her head. Nothing happened, that was until she drew Excalibur and there were several small glowing stones that shown the same light as the portal in Nepal that her Mother once went through. The light from the crown cast a green illuminate laser upon the sword, and the would be resting place of Bedivere which was broken started rumbling as the rocks floated up and cast a form of an incomplete doorway which the light finished by connecting them. The shimmering image of Stonehenge appeared rippling as if it were a watery surface. Lara's eyes were wide in fascination as she walked slowly to the portal. "This is how the legend of the lady of the lake must have started. The sword…may have been passed through one of these portals to Arthur, the chosen of this time…."

Valkyrie was in awe as well as she whistled lowly with the impressive turn of events that she witnessed. She began following Lara through the portal that welcomed both of the women as they flowed through. "This saves us from driving there at least" she mocked.

Lara gasped as she found herself exiting the south archway at Stonehenge. She almost giggled in amazement as she looked over her shoulder to Valkyrie who was just coming out and returned Lara's smile with her own. The smile did not last long.

Then suddenly the sounds of thirty guns clicking as safety's were removed, and the glimpse of a jeep with a gatling gun on its back harness manned by a mercenary. The men were adorned in pitch black clothes, and equally black face coverings of various masks, face shields, or sunglasses. The gatling gun operator gave two warning spins of the huge gun which spun deeply whirring as if to let a barrage of bullets fly. He grinned cockily from behind the intimidating weapon.

Lara's smile faded into an angry grit of her teeth as her eyes narrowed in violent slits. To her left she heard a deep breathing close to her. When she looked out the corner of her eye she found the familiar ghastly abomination of the wraith stone looming over her and Valkyrie. "Amanda!" she hissed.

Amanda was leaning against an archway directly across from the one Lara appeared out of. For this occasion Amanda wore skin tight black nylon running pants and a matching black tank top exposing her tattoos on her belly and arms, it wasn't about style, this was for up close and personal. Sonya was just now walking over to Amanda's side from another archway. She discarded the usual sunglasses she used to hide her unearthly eyes, wearing cotton black tights and a loose blouse that exposed on shoulder with bell sleeves. Her magic would be at work today. They ordered the men to position themselves at various places among the great site waiting for hints of anything a day after Sonya and Amanda arrived there. Any sign of a helicopter, motorcycle, car, but no one ever expected to see her just appear. Amanda and Sonya paid top dollar however because the minute the portal that Lara came through started shimmering they all turned their attention to that focal spot and converged on the location in wait expertly. The mercenaries were briefed about the demon doppelganger as well. Amanda's folded arms gave way to the rapping fingers of her left hand to drum rhythmically against her right bicep. "You feel that rage Lara?, that burn inside of disbelief?, crushed hopes?, and the feeling you worked hard for is going to be taken? THAT! Lara….THAT! Is what I have been feeling EACH AND EVERY _**FUCKING TIME**_ you found yourself privileged to take something from me! At each turn you were there to spit on my face! Not this time BITCH, THIS time I am kicking your ass and breaking the smug smirk off your proper British lips!" pointing at Lara now with her right hand trembling with rage. "Drop the fucking sword, the fucking crown thing, and tell that yellow cat eyed bitch to drop that hammer!"

Valkyrie tsked "That's not nice. I'm _not_ a cat."

Amanda stomped her foot "SHUT the _FUCK_ **UP**!"

Sonya was silent for the moment, this was her first time meeting Lara Croft face to face. She took in a slow deep breath "You have dishonored my family name, my Father, and put my Mother, and I through more pain than you can _**ever**_ imagine. I never thought it would be possible to hate anyone I never met with such detest to my very core of being. I am sure your…'thing' that you call Valkyrie already informed you of me. I will not bother to go into introductions. In the name of my Mother and Father I will have you ended here, this day, somehow.

Valkyrie was already gauging the scenario. They were really well prepared this time. They were too close and too ready for her to catch them off guard. Even if she were to make a move they would only shoot Lara. "Phh" she huffed "We can take them Lara." She said arrogantly which even made Lara look at her as if she was bonkers.

Amanda motioned for the men to ensure that Valkyrie made no movements towards Lara, and the other side to keep Lara in their sights if Valkyrie did try anything. "Cocky bitch. This is checkmate! I was WAITING for you and Lara! This time I am going to be the hero because we are sending you to Hell or the hospital! We OWE you that!"

Valkyrie rolled her eyes up into her head "You 'know' you were insured so what's the problem with a few boo-boo's? and besides you had your 'special friend' to lick your…_ahem_ wounds when we kicked your ass, or anything near it." She smirked.

Amanda's and Sonya's face burned hotly. The mercenaries all kind of looked at their two employers with both a bit of uncertainty and a humored disbelief because in dark corners they spoke if the things they would want to do to either. One mercenary spat out his cigar "Ga-dammit. Fucking figures." As others shook their head for a second.

Lara's eyes widened as well as she whispered towards Valkyrie "You never told me THAT little fact. Amanda….has come a long way since James…." She could not even find her anger that she just had a moment ago as she now just blinked innocently.

Valkyrie snickered as she used that moment to put her hand into her pocket using her shadow speed, and now she raised the hammer from its binding causing all of them to tense again watching her closely as she placed it on the ground slowly. The hand that went into her pocket in a fist still "I'll give you credit girls and boys. You really were waiting for Lara and I, but what about my new friend Muffins?" Lara shot her a glare as if to say wtf? _Muffins?_

It was Amanda's turn to tsk and shake her head "She's bluffing." She was glad to take the attention off her and Sonya. "She is trying to buy time. Alright, now drop the sword Lara." Sonya stood ready in case of anything sneaky.

Valkyrie gave her infamous smirk as she tilted her head to the left slightly "I 'did' warn you." She then casually said aloud "Come Muffins. These men want to hurt Momma." Her eyes smiled wickedly.

There was a loud howl and the men now had something else to divide their attention. The huge Anubis warrior appeared at its new master's command and started tearing through the mercenaries like wind through trees. Valkyrie kicked Lara in the ass sending quickly to the ground as she swooped down using her shadow speed grabbing her hammer and upper-cutted the man nearest her who was distracted by what they have NOT been trained to be ready for. His head went sailing into the air and she was already sweep kicking the next man who opened fire sending him to his back only to slam the hammer into his chest.

Lara pulled Excalibur out and swung with one hand as she stood sending 4 men spiraling into the stone's behind them crushing various bones. She then sought out Amanda who was already being pulled backwards by Sonya who was casting spells at the Anubis to keep it away from them.

Amanda screaming furiously as she pulled her own fire arm and waved her hand to attack the Anubis "No! NOOO! No no NO! fucking NO! this isn't happening again! Get them!"

Valkyrie threw the hammer at the jeep as she heard the whur of the warming up gatling gun. The hammer smashed into the gun and man exploding them both on impact and causing the bullets in the chamber to fire wildly around for a moment. Valkyrie saw what was happening and took full advantage. She used her shadow speed again to grab a man by his neck and position his head. To her the bullets were flying in slow motion, and one stray bullet sank right between the eyes of the man she held there, again she grabbed another and repeated, she kicked the next one towards the gun to receive two bullets in the back. The last man near her was focused on Lara and Valkyrie appeared before him, kneed him in the groin and roundhouse kicked him into the exploded gun to receive the last of the wild fire bullets. She now turned her attention to Amanda and Sonya as well.

Lara was just finishing off doing her own attacks. Punched one merc in his neck, did a jumping spring kick sending her knee into his rib cage, and as she started coming back to the ground she swung Excalibur at the next two sending them directly at the Wraith to be shredded instantly to pieces as it was attacking 'Muffins' . She stood and walked sideways keeping her eyes on Amanda and Sonya until she got to Valkyrie. "You alright?" she huffed catching her breath.

"I need tea." Valkyrie replied casually. Lara blinked and blew a bang of hair from her right eye. Valkyrie cracked her knuckles and found herself grinning again "You know what I love about being you Lara? I make you look good when I kick ass." she winked.

Lara found it both funny and yet not funny at all! "Hey, don't go trying to replace me!" she warned.

In Lara's ear came Zip's voice full of background noise of some sort "Head's up. Don't get caught up in the moment Lara! Stay focused. Those bitches had you and Val in their paws. You are lucky Val kept that pet a secret. I forgot all about it in Japan!"

Lara nodded "I think Sonya and Amanda did too."

"Hey." Valkyrie interrupted "His NAME is Muffins. M-U-F-F-I-N-S"

Zip "….."

Lara "….."

Muffins was still hot in battle with the wraith and neither seemed to be giving ground to the other. Amanda was still doing her best to keep the wraith busy as they gained distance while Sonya threw spells. Sonya screamed in sudden pain falling to her knees coughing which caused Amanda to break concentration. When she looked she saw a tall dreaded bronze man standing there who punched her right in the face sending her off her feet into a daze. He had just sent a body blow to Sonya's stomach knocking the wind out of her.

Lara gasped in shock "Z-Zip?!"

Zip nodded to her once as he walked over and stood over Amanda. He leaned in and ripped the wraith stone off her neck. "This shit is **OVER** you crazy bitch!" and threw the stone onto the ground outside of her reach.

As Amanda reached out to reclaim it she witnessed the stone shatter before her eyes after a gunshot was heard. The wraith screamed angrily as it vanished forever into a wild poof of black smoke. Her eyes wide her head turned slowly back to Lara who had the same exact expression as she did. Amanda's eyes went over behind her where Zip stood there with the chamber of his 9mm smoking. "_**THAT**_. Was for Alister!" he spoke through bared gritted teeth that came out more as a snarl. He holstered his gun and ran his hand through his hair as he walked over to Lara "I'm sorry. That is why I told you I didn't want to watch you go through that King Arthur's tomb place again. I saw Amanda and Sonya's cards were used in Wiltshire so I came to support you both, and avenge Alister."

Lara held a hand up and nodded. She understood completely.

Valkyrie now turned the Anubis to pounce on Sonya who went still beneath the creature's massive frame in fear of what it would do next. She now knew Valkyrie kept what she had herself repaired to use against Lara and the doppelganger, and was curing herself for her oversight. "I told you once before,_ when one lives reckless, they tend to end up wrecked._" She walked over and crouched down next to Sonya. "All this time, you looked at your cursed eyes that your Father passed to you and hated them, hated Lara for YOUR Father's actions, **his** choices. You should learn to move on doll. You have found love, and you have found that your place is not tend us…one way or another as you so well put it." Pulling the hammer closer to Sonya's face.

Sonya's eyes glew brighter as once again her rage built.

Valkyrie scoffed "If the toy is not a good toy, then the toy deserves to be broken." She held the hammer close and tightened her grip on the hilt of the mighty weapon until it crackled with energy. "You hate us because you see us." And pressed the hammer across Sonya's eyes burning them closed sending Sonya to shriek in agony and pain.

Lara ran over and pulled Valkyrie back violently "What are you doing?! Have you gone mad?!"

Zip covered his mouth with both hands as he back peddled in disbelief "Oh shit!" he spoke muffled through his hands.

Amanda screamed in an unmannerly fashion, as if she watched James die again and tore past Lara and Valkyrie skidding to her knees over to Sonya who was thrashing under the Anubis warrior. "Sonya! OH MY GOD SONYA!" she cried aloud until her voice went hoarse. "I hate you! I HATE YOU LARA! I HATE YOU!" her voice seemed almost to growl now as he reddened teary eyes glared wide in a wilder stronger hatred of Lara.

Valkyrie snatched away from Lara's hands and backed up once. "It's time she had her flaws removed." Looking over towards Sonya and Amanda. "This will bring them closer." She shrugged and dispersed the Anubis warrior that still held Sonya firm on the ground. Valkyrie now stared at Lara "I thought you of all people would want this to be over."

Amanda leaned in and kissed Sonya deeply not knowing what else to do. "I love you. I love you Sonya. Don't leave me….don't leave me…" she rocked the now whimpering Sonya in her arms.

Sonya blindly lowered her hand slowly and listened to where Lara's voice was. "I love….." her hand glew "you too…" and sent a blind spell that hit Lara square dead on in the chest sending her hurling suddenly. Excalibur flew from Lara's hand wildly and landed embedding deeply into Zip's chest sending him to the soil with a solid thud as death claimed him instantly. Valkyrie was hit partly because of where she was standing and held her right side with her left hand as her right hand extended as she reached for Lara who was already out of her reach.

Lara flew backwards towards the east facing arch of stones. The crown started to glow as did Excalibur and the stones shimmered as light appeared causing yet another gateway. "Valk-" and through the portal she went with a staggering Valkyrie clamoring towards it only to be too late. The crown now out of range, gone, the sword stopped glowing.

Valkyrie fell to her knees, her side in great pain and threw her head back and let out a howl that would shake any feral beast into fear.

Amanda watched the scene play before her eyes and already was dragging Sonya to a truck. "We gotta go….oh my GOD! We have to go NOW!"

Sonya was gasping in pain demanding to know what happened. Amanda fastened Sonya's seatbelt and explained along the way the miraculous events that just unfolded. Sonya found herself smiling if even a little bit.

Amanda was laughing nervously as she could not help but think that her wish came true. If they could not kill Lara, they could at least make her disappear. "Fucking A….." she muttered and reached her right hand off the wheel of the truck while her left hand steered. The right hand clasped fingers with Sonya's. "NOW, we are done darling. We are going to go where that bitch cannot find us!"

Sonya smiled and returned the tightened hand lovingly.

-**End Chapter 14.**

**Next in chapter 15- **The **final** Chapter!

**AN**: Here are some more small updates:

~ I am so sorry it took me so long. The laptop I once saved all my info on died, so I lost the last two chapters at once. I have been re-gathering, re-typing, and trying to piece everything back together. Also my son has been keeping me busy. Thank you all for your patience.

- review by

**Chris on '****chapter 5 '**

I have mostly been enjoying this so far, though one element is this chapter is practically absurd - why would the Great Wall of China have a secret entrance accessed using references to an alphabet (English) that didn't exist when the wall was built?

-response

~Thank you so much for your communication and insight. I thought of various ways to show the Chinese alphabet but it gave me characters which would not show up on Microsoft word, and I did not want to confuse anyone. So I left it to be assumed that Lara was reading it all in Chinese since it is relative to her character to speak many languages flawlessly. You have my fullest apologies for any confusion.


	15. Chapter 15

**Disclaimer:** I do not own anything in regards to the Tomb Raider franchise. Alas, this is a pity… this story is for the utter amusement, entertainment, and bewilderment of the fans who appreciate Lara as being one of the best games in the world! -Batman

**Author Notes:** I like getting into the part of the characters that you do not see. What happens 'in between' Lara's excursions? How does she interact with the people in her life when it is not over her headset?

_**Chapter Fifteen:** "Die filth. Your days on this Earth are due for the reaping! Behold the might if my mighty weapon! Gungnir! ("The Spear of Heaven") _I once again return to the Odin sleep until I must be reborn again!

**Wiltshire, England**

Wind blew softly causing the grass to dance gently across the great structure of Stonehenge. Bodies in various positions, riddled with bullets, or torn apart by claws or teeth littered the area as today the great arches seemed as if they were tombstones for the fallen. The only sound was the low growls of mixed pain and anguish that escaped the doppelganger known as Valkyrie.

"This cannot have happened…."she shook her head as she was now seated next to the lifeless body of Zip. Excalibur still embedded deep in his body, his brown eyes staring lifelessly at the sky as his arms remained out stretched. Valkyrie's healing powers were slow to replenish because the magic attack from Sonya was not man -made which her body was well resistant against. As her body mended fully, she stood up and took hold the sword pulling it from Zip's body. She didn't close his eyes, because she never saw the point in that human custom. She thought the sky that day was beautiful and that he would be able to stare at it openly in his moment. She placed the hammer onto her back and carried the sword over to the arch that Lara vanished through and tried several attempts to make the gate open once again, but without the crown there was no reason to hope this would work. Stonehenge as it were, turned out to be the portal network for perhaps all the versions of Excalibur and there was no true way to determine where Lara ended up at all.

**Location unknown, underwater structure; During the Stonehenge Battle**

Tihocan noticed that Qualopec was not around for quite some time and found it delightful not to have his brother bitching and moaning. His army was ready and lied in wait for the great war before him. Today as he ate upon some raw fish and berries that he fancied he watched the battle at Stonehenge. He knocked over his plate as he stood bellowing with laughter and the spectacle that took place. "THIS! THIS is irony in its glory!" he laughed allowed deeply and spun once in place as he pointed at the sphere that he watched through. "All I must do now is rid myself of the Von Croy woman and Evert! Then I'll save that Natla's bastard Croft child for last!" he rubbed his 5 o'clock shadowed chin. He scoffed and lifted his robes once to shake off the food that fell upon the bottom of it and walked off to the inner structure. He came to a glowing lift and upon stepping upon it vanished and re-appeared atop the land near the ocean edge so he could see the sky. He placed both arms out and roared triumphantly his eyes closed as he enjoyed the cold sky and his partial victory.

"_Deyja villtr andskoti" (Die Foolish Enemy) _boomed the loudest voice Tihocan had ever heard. The sky rippled changing instantly from sky blue to pitch black as the familiar clouds that proceeded Odin manifested until the armored god appeared in the sky looming gigantically over the tiny Atlantean. Around him pillars of light standing on clouds made a perfect circle in the sky around Odin and Tihocan. The Valkyries in service to the Norse god holding their axes, swords, spears, and shields started to chant rhythmically in unison "Bani, bani, bani bani, bani, bani,bani. (death, death, death, death, death, death, death.) They came to reclaim vengeance for what they thought Valkyrie said to be true, that Tihocan killed Thor!

Tihocan screamed at the sky and pointed "You FOOL! You DARE face me on my own home?!" he spat at the earth and laughed "I have an endless army! I have-"

Odin lifted his mighty spear Gungnir and sheer light shot from the weapon into the water where the Atlantean's great temple was causing the water light up like day. There underneath the surface in the depths did that structure fall into oblivion with one shot of Odin's mighty weapon. The water gave way causing a huge tidal wave to immediately start rolling through all directions.

Tihocan stared frozen, petrified in fear for the first time in his life. It was then that he came to realize, that somehow he pissed off the 'wrong immortal'. "Wait!" he held his left hand up to speak.

"Bani, **ba**ni, **bani**, **BA**ni, **BANI**" the Valkyrie's chanted louder each time slamming their weapons against their armored figures, sounding like thunder, after each voice of the chant.

Odin did not wait for the Atlantean to speak. He once again lifted Gungnir and as the light started to shine from it all Tihocan could do was scream before the light and silence claimed him.

Odin roared through the sky as his vengeance was sated and his blood thirst abated. The huge armored form turned his back and with him all clouds and Valkyries vanished leaving behind the sky blue day and a now calmed ocean.

-**Present Day Croft Manor; 1 month later after Stonehenge**-

Winston just finished mixing tea and took some fresh cookies out the oven placing them upon a silver tray. He left the kitchen and proceeded to the grand hall where an Inspector of the Yard stood waiting to ask questions. He sat the tray on the table and stood by the fireplace. At that moment Valkyrie walked down the steps with pitch black sunglasses and a walking cane tapping each steps as she came down until she came to the main floor.

The inspector fumbled through a note pad upon which he was scribbling notes as he waited for the woman and cleared his throat. "I'm glad you were gracious enough to see me today Lady Croft. I know that a month has gone by but we still have not been able to find those who attacked you." He admitted embarrassedly as he coughed nervously. "I'll have you know Lady Croft that we will not rest until we catch these women."

"Your police are not proving to be very useful inspector." She walked by slowly and seated herself on the couch as she felt for the tray and tea. "These terrorist women cost me my sight as I was site seeing, and strangely enough as they and their terrorist organization set up in that place. I lost my sight…and my voice was damaged. This was her cover and how she filed her incident report. Blinded to have reason to hide her glowing eyes, and the excuse as to why her voice was deeper and cryptic.

He scoffed with great offense "Lady Croft! I'll have you know.."

"I know that you are incompetent. You don't have to explain that to me." She interrupted. "Get out. I'll find other resources inside the law that are able to search more than just England." She wanted him gone, this was her mission, her tasks that only she must do. They keep popping back up to give her updates because of 'procedure'.

The inspector's face was deep red, and his mouth tight as he turned and left abruptly muttering under his breath. Winston walked him to the door and closed it after he left. Winston was told about what happened, and he was none too happy. So unhappy in fact that he has not spoken since Lara vanished. 'This replica, this copy of the good family name is staying in their manor! The shame of it all!' he thought.

Valkyrie had well taken notice to the butler's silent cold treatment, and had every intention of providing him a one-way ticket to the toxic blue pit of toxic water underneath the manor (from the beneath the ashes dlc) so he could become a 'silent' thrall too. She was going to live a very long time and she was going to enjoy being Lara. Until then she was going to also find these damned Atlanteans and put them out of their misery. If she were not alone, she would know that Tihocan is no longer one with this coil thanks to Odin. If Zip were alive she would have known that. Valkyrie only wanted to live life with Lara, the flaws removed in time would have been Zip and Winston. Now that she lost the only thing she cared about, respected, felt a sister to, and cherished. Valkyrie was going to look for signs of Lara wherever she could as Lara looked for her mother until she found her. Until then Valkyrie or to others, Thor, would be searching eternally.

**Rio de Janeiro; 1 month after Stonehenge**

Amanda's eyes were closed tightly as she writhed in the bed stretching lazily, gripping the pillows above her head, breathing long deep breaths of the scented air. It was hot, hotter than she ever could imagine. Amanda moaned and then just let her muscles go and sighed. The covers moved and drew back as Sonya's face appeared from beneath the sheets licking her lips. Amanda wrapped her arms around her neck as she came up and kissed her deeply moaning erotically as she tasted herself on Sonya's lips. "Oh Fuck…" she gasped as she broke the kiss. Amanda was floating, she felt weightless.

Sonya smiled and kissed Amanda greedily until the kiss was broken. Her eyes that once glew a deep crimson now were reduced to sealed eyelids with old burn marks upon them. Her lips shown her happiness though, Sonya still saw shades and silhouettes of things because of her supernatural senses that were passed onto her by her father. "I think I have a favorite drink." She smirked playfully.

Amanda smacked her shoulder "Hey!" she blushed and laughed.

They were in hiding still. Amanda used every bit of her power in Natla Industries to make sure that they were not found by the police or Valkyrie. They knew Valkyrie was looking for them, because they paid off several officers from Interpol to every agency who would report to them when someone attempted to track them down, and that included a certain inspector from the yard. They cared not about Valkyrie, but only for each other. Amanda let go of the memory of James, and Sonya threw away her Father's monocle in an attempt to move on past his bad choices. She hated Valkyrie, but the doppelgangers words rang sound and deep within her soul. Natla industries thrived as Amanda picked some guy whose name she could never remember to be the figure head of her company so she could control things from the background. Sonya had her home burnt down as they did not forget that the Japanese had spies amidst the house for years.

**Avalon**

Lara was unconscious for 2 days before the rain stinging her face awoke her. She was in a forest on her back spread eagle, the crown tilted crookedly upon her head tangled in her chestnut colored hair. "Oh God…" she coughed holding her chest tightly in pain where the magic spell struck her. Her mind played back the ordeal and she could still see Excalibur fly from her hand into Zip's chest, and how Valkyrie was sent down getting hit partially as Lara took the full brunt. Lara's shirt was torn, burned more than anything from the golden sphere that was launched at her. The underside of her breasts exposed and part of her abdomen was bared and reddened. "Bollocks." She muttered as she forced herself to her feet. The scene was lovely in the rain, natural unaltered flowers growing wildly among the trees, no missing trees, and crisp fresh air filled her lungs. Lara walked holding her arms across her breasts gathering for warmth during the growing rain which was slowly becoming a storm. No Valkyrie, no Zip, and poor Winston. She would probably never see him again. Lara was determined not to cry, not right now. She had to figure out where she was right now, although deep down she knew.

After half a day she stayed close to the trees to keep the heavy rains from beating upon her too badly. She found the forest edge and gazed out timidly hoping no men would see her in her awkwardness. She was happy to see there was no one in sight for miles, but also very saddened by this. No money she had in her pack would be accepted here in this place, and her clothes….she chose not to think on right now in fear of depression, and what little food she had would not last her long unless she found wild game. She had her pistols at least which would make catching prey easy, but the noise would draw unwanted attention. "Damn…" she cursed at this situation as she sat down defeated for now and decided to lay down under this large tree using her back pack as a pillow to grab some well needed rest.

Later that evening she was awoken by the sounds of hooves that was not too far away from what she could tell. She sat up quickly bringing her guns out and scanned the area for the passer by. She heard "Yaa yaa!"

A horse with arrows sticking from its left side and its rider with enough in his back to be considered a pin cushion was bleeding badly as the poor horse was pushed to its limits. The horse tripped on several rocks and sent the rider flying off breaking some arrows that were in him, pushing others in deeper which caused him to yell aloud in more agony than what he was in. The horse fleeing for so long dropped down upon its side heaving heavily and coughed twice before its rib cage stopped moving completely.

Lara cursed mentally at this luck, and she did not need this if especially if he was being chased.

The man who looked no more than 30 at least called over to her after seeing her hiding in the tree line. "M'lady, please….please I beg of thee assistance." He reached out weakly

Lara thought for a moment about time lines and how every little thing affected them and then on her situation and groaned as she holstered her guns and ran over to the man immediately helping pull the arrows out his back. It took her 20 minutes as she gave the man breaks in between. Upon finishing she used what little medical things she had left in her pack after the fight on him.

The man sat up in about 10 minutes and stood with a grateful smile upon his lips. "I thank thee m'lady." He nodded "Ye….seem to be from a land of afar…." He tilted his head as he saw her clothes or lack of. "What name do thy hail of woman?"

Lara saw him staring and covered herself "No matter what, you will not get THAT as thanks." She narrowed her eyes she stood too now and rested her hands on her weapons. Modesty had no place in a fight. "And to answer your question, it's Croft, Lara Croft."

The man's eyes were horror struck then they were full of mirth. His words changed instantly into a clearer tongue. "You do not speak the tongue of this place…." He frowned. Lara's eyes grew in surprise of this and he continued. "You saved my life strange dressed lady." He laughed "I was at the wrong place at the wrong time. You pulled those magical arrows from my back and for that I thank you."

"Magical? You were poisoned and yet you stand right back up?!" she frowned "Who were you running from?"

"No need to worry about that." He shook his head politely as he raised his hand in protest of asking further "It's a family issue. I am not built like the flesh of the weak. My race heals in odd ways. I will send a friend to you to assist, and you can trust him I assure you."

Lara was still ever the cautious but she needed some help right now, she would be a fool to deny it in a new realm or time. "If I cannot trust **him**, I know I can trust **these**" she stroked both her guns with her thumbs. "Who are you?" she was guessing but wanted to be sure 'This is Merlin, it has to be…' she thought.

The man stared at her a long time before answering "I will trust you with my name. You obviously do not belong here. One day, be it in this time or another…I will be there for you as you were for me in my time of need. Just when my life seemed void, you brought hope, as I swear I will bring hope of your resurrection to you as well." He bowed and started walking away "I am known as Qualopec to my brother and sister, and I shall not forget you Lara Croft, you will eternally have my respect." And with that he seemed to ripple away out of sight.

"I doubt that…." She stared after where he was in utter shock and bewilder. To meet him of ALL people here and now! Lara shuddered at the thought of having to see Natla's face again.

That evening Lara again heard horses approach, two men with cloaks of brown hoods drawn low rode slower now that her silhouette was in sight.

"Be for peace m'lady. Mine friend verily did explain unto thy dire need of favor." The first man said as he dropped down off his horse, and taking a sack off the horse's side saddle. "This favor be for thee in thy moment of crisis." He said in a sad tone. "I am sorry m'lady for I ache in body and spirit." Tossing the sack over to Lara at a respectable distance. The other rider seemed to be looking out for any followers.

Lara pulled the sack into the shadows and was thankful there was a clothes and food in it. There was a fine dress and a traveling cloak. Lara changed and walked out into the moonlight. "You have my thanks, it was a truly lovely gesture and a lady just must not be seen in dis-quality." She humored.

"Thy speech tis of our tongue native, but unbeknowest to mine ears as to thy derelict of its orgins." The man asked in both concern and bewilder.

Lara closed her eyes and bit her lip at her error or speaking so freely out of habit "I'm from afar…" she decided to go along with what Qualopec's phrasing.

It was here the other voice spoke "She speaks truth lad. Her destiny wath not born of these stars, but beyond them." The raspy voice of the 2nd man spoke aloud. "What be thy name and art thy a damseled maiden or wench to be in such a state of attire?"

Lara's eyes narrowed as she stepped forward as her blood boiled "I'll have you know that I am no maiden or wench! I am Lady Lara Croft! And you dear sir have no idea what you are dealing with!"

The first man held a hand up to his companion "Our friend from afar hath thee tongue of dragon's fire!" he mused. "Forgive him in his weariness. Merlin be an elder most outspoken to speak upon a Lady of Noble birth. May I hath thy name? I art known to be Arthur." Removing his hood and motioning for Merlin to do so as well. Arthur had no crown upon his head, and the faint glow from his left hip was hint that there is where Excalibur laid in wait.

Lara's heart froze in her chest as her eyes fell upon the King of Legends. "King Arthur?" she gasped softly causing Arthur to blink in astonish and Merlin to tense seeing as they were incognito.

"Thy knoweth of mine position?" he stepped back cautiously looking at Merlin then back to her.

Lara blinked herself out of her trance and ran over to the bag frantically tearing it open. "I think this is yours?" holding up his crown towards him. "Here! Please take this!" hoping this would get her a huge favor and a chance to get some answers or a way back home if Arthur had the sword and crown.

Merlin bounded off the horse and stumbled over as quickly as he could and lifted her chin. "By the gods and moons! Arthur! She hath come! The legend said upon a day turned night, that a woman be crafted from fate's entangle, but twas was not craft! Twas Croft! The words were mis-meant"

Arthur took his crown from Merlin and stared at the marvel of this night. "Twas fate I meet thee woman born of nobility, but not of royal blood." He stared now at Lara "There be much to be explained, but I hath thee knowest we shalt nigh be part from hence. We shalt hide thee so others may not know thy to be the fortold tale. Lara ye shall never be in open day or open ear, we shall be let thee known to be Guinevere. Thy art foretold to prepare me for great trials yet to cometh." He stepped forward taking her hand and kissing firmly. "Please guide me well and bless mine ears with thy advices fated woman from afar."

Lara stood as still as stone 'Guinevere!?...' and she realized then, that there was no way home. Even though Arthur had the sword and crown, they were not who devised the gates of travel, but it was the Vikings that taught it to them, and by then she was an old woman.

And the story was told of the Legendary Queen and the knights chosen to be sat at the round, the plan to separate the sword, the failed plan of Moragana Le faye's dagger and how she fell to the hand of Guinevere, but not before Morgana laid with Arthur, her brother, and gave birth to the lineage that would be Mordred one day would become Evert to oppose until the end of time. Lara never once able to leave her true name in any text which would be why her later incarnation would never be able to know.

The blood lineage that Arthur and Lara started in the future would the set way for her re-incarnation. The **Queen **of Legend to the **Raider** of Legend.

-**End of Rebirth.**

**AN**: I hope you enjoyed the story up the end. Thank you to all who followed me to the end, reviewed, and added this story to their favorites!


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